Jeff Hanson - Madam Owl

I tend to like my singer-songwriters on the quirky side, especially when it comes to singing. The anxious bleating of the Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle and the brittle warbling of Son Lux’s Ryan Lott appeal to me more than someone with a pitch-perfect, pretty voice.

So when I read a press release that mentioned Jeff Hanson’s unique vocal style, I thought it might be right up my alley. And man, those PR folks weren’t kidding about uniqueness. Hanson’s falsetto is so high and odd-sounding it’s no wonder he’s often mistaken for a girl. This isn’t a big, full, Bon Iver-style falsetto. It’s an Alvin and the Chipmunks falsetto.

The character of Hanson’s voice dominates Madam Owl, and unfortunately it quickly goes from mildly intriguing to grating. Hanson’s phrasing and lilt is reminiscent of Elliott Smith, which isn’t a bad thing, but I couldn’t help feeling like I was listening to one of Smith’s LPs on a turntable set to the wrong RPM.

Hanson, who spent his teens in Wisconsin emo band M.I.J., also has an annoying tendency to coat his words in a too-precious, faux British accent, especially on “I Don’t Quite Remember” and “If Only I Knew.” It’s enough to make you madly search your iPod for the most gruff, gravel-voiced singer you can find just to cleanse the palate.

Hanson doesn’t make up for any of this with stellar lyrics, either. “Maryann” is a pleading love song that finds Hanson stringing together lines that you’ve heard in countless songs before: “So can we just run from here?/Cause I have seen no one like you/You were lost, I was too/Where are you from dear?/Can we just stay here?”

Still, there are a few things to enjoy on Madam Owl, namely the plushy string arrangements that accompany Hanson’s acoustic on almost every song. Though the strings probably would have worked better if they’d been more interspersed and not so up-front in the mix, they’re well done nonetheless.

The album’s opener, “Night,” is also a strong point, highlighting Hanson’s ear for melody. If only he’d sing it without all the ultra-feminine, disingenuous accouterments.

Madam Owl is out tomorrow on Kill Rock Stars.

mp3: Jeff Hanson - If I Only Knew

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