Of all the post-Cap'n Jazz projects that its members have been involved in, there have been only two that were any good -- American Football and Owen (and maybe Ghosts n Vodka). Joan of Arc? Stop fooling around and rock already! The Owls? Yuck. The Promise Ring? Good if you're 14. Sky Corvair? Blech. Make Believe. Ok, I'l give them Make Believe. And maybe I'm being unduly harsh. Cap'n Jazz was such an extreme influence on my musical life that I am highly biased against any band post-Jazz, so consider the source.

American Football and Owen were/are Mike Kinsella. And while Owen doesn't necessarily live up to the wonderful melancholy of American Football, it sure is better than anything those other guys (namely his brother Tim) have done lately. Kinsella just knows how to write a melody. And his ever-present crisp, clean guitar playing is the perfect complement to his delicate vocals. The latest full-length Owen album, I Do Perceive is his best yet. Every time I listen to it, I feel a little bit better about it being ass-cold outside. At least I have good pop to listen to as my face breaks and my snot freezes.

Owen plays Knitting Factory, Thursday, December 29th.