Fizzle Like a Flood

Doug Kabourek is back. After a pair of concept heavy full-lengths, his one-man Fizzle Like a Flood has crafted yet another pop masterpiece. Following in the vein of his more expansive and epic material, the new self-titled EP is a bright flash of fidelity and a lesson in boundless home recording that leaves you craving more.

In a way, the record is also a look back at Kabourek's formative years; the finale, "Shutters Closed," is a cover of Iowa City friends Tripmaster Monkey (who penned Kabourek's namesake, a song called "Fizzle Like a Flood"…), and the instrumentals, "Nothing Much" and "Something More," are grandiose reinterpretations of tunes first played in Doug's early days as The Laces. Even the artwork embraces the idea, a time capsule from another year, a picture taken, and the permanence of the past.

At the same time, Fizzle Like a Flood is unyieldingly progressive. Rather than using grand, yet tired, techniques to catch an ear, several moments of musical nakedness (a sudden, layered, a cappella chorus at the climax of "Decide to Die") do the trick, and at the same time, keep you on the edge of your seat waiting for the flood that could be just around the corner. Kabourek has also found a new flair for writing on the piano, as evidenced in the heart wrenching "Rides to Get High," and on the surprisingly un-offensive "Love the Fuck," where he borrows the melody of "Shutters Closed" for a touching homage and an inappropriate love song.

Imagine a cartoon battle between The Flaming Lips and the Mountain Goats with Ben Folds as a celebrity referee. It doesn't matter who wins as long as you get the picture, because Fizzle Like a Flood continues to shoot ahead towards blissful uncertainty, leaving in its wake a constantly increasing catalog of smart, sincere pop confections.