I’ve been with Kurt Heasley all along. He’s gotta be one of the best at articulately wearing his influences on his sleeve. Sometimes too good. And that’s always been my main gripe. But, every once in a while there is an incredibly new take. For example, 1996’s Better Can't Make Your Life Better was a wonderful reinterpretation of the crunchy guitar pop of the Kinks and other British Invasion bands served up Elephant 6 style, but sloppier. The melodies were insane and the looseness of the production refreshing. With the last outing it was more of an Echo & the Bunnymen/Church fixation, and Everything Wrong is Imaginary continues in the same vein.
“Black Carpet Magic” starts it off with a driving kraut-rock rhythm section and immediately harkens back to a John Hughes soundtrack that never was. It’s good stuff and does what Heasley always has—invoke nostalgia, whether alive for its first go-round or not. “With Candy” fits in the same space, at least production-wise. This one stripped down could’ve easily fit on Better Can’t Make Your Life Better or The 3-Way… the chorus, minus the keys and sound effects, has the same sharp hooks and quick chord changes of the aforementioned.
“A Diana’s Diana” takes a complete left turn with some generic 70’s funk a la Beck, but less annoying and more aprapo to a late night dance mix’s last jam. We’re back to business with the next few tracks covering more hazy underground 80’s. “Where the Night Goes” sticks out with its industrial kick-drum-laden beat and guitar feedback.
The next song, “The Night Sun Over San Juan,” seems to sum up Heasley’s recent preoccupation of 80’s alternative anthems with spooky precision. And this is where I return to my “gripe.” These are great songs, and maybe it’s not just Heasley, but the production of Michael Musmanno over the last couple albums that has kept these songs in the genre tribute category rather than in a class of their own.
The last third of Everything Wrong is Imaginary wraps up in similar fashion. Overall, it’s somewhat disappointing of my high expectations, but still sneaks by with a 4-star rating. The biggest disappointment is the fact that I have to wait two to three years to find out what Kurt Heasley is listening to.
