David Clement

"Your Free Gift" CD

Show Dog Tunes

Genres: indie rock, indie pop, rock

David Clement
561 Hudson St.
Suite #37
New York, NY 10014

Apr 21 - 27 2003

As unspectacular as Your Free Gift looks on paper - a generic self-released rock CD - one listen should clear away any pretentious prejudices you may have.  David Clement is a great rock musician who knows how to make a good melody, and this album sees him singing with a whole rotating cast of back-up musicians.

Clement, like his idols The Eels, knows how to work in both rock and pop settings.  "One" is a fine example - catchy in a sort of grungy/poppy way, it almost seems to recall some mid-90s one-hit wonders.  The vocals are decidedly Eels-esque, except less tuneful.  "Geriatriphilia," meanwhile, takes the Eels similarities even further, with delicate vocals, a hushed instrumental background, and some nice organ playing to top it all off.  "Sheba's Death Rattle" is way catchier than it should be and "The Yard" is a pretty, yet raw pop song that will bring a tear to your eye.

While I would suggest more balance in the mixture between the rockier stuff and the more restrained material, Clement has managed to blend the two distinct styles remarkably well, and the album's flow is perfect.  The way it starts off with the energetic "Noid Noid" and closes with the end credits-esque "Ho Me" is fantastic.

This album gets a recommendation from me.  Your Free Gift deserves a big, appreciative audience, and hopefully Clement will find one.

85%

Matt Shimmer

[Vitals: 12 songs, distributed by CD Baby, released 2002]