Atom and His Package

Item: Hair Debatable
Author: Phil Nichols

Hair Debatable

(2004)

Reviewed by Phil Nichols

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Hopeless RecordsDecapolisApril 2004

pop punk punk synth pop

For those of you who are not familiar with Atom and His Package, here is a brief history lesson: In 1995, Atom Goren decided that touring would be a lot easier if he could perform as a one-man band. So he learned how to combine synthesizers, techno beats, and samples and programmed them all into a small machine called the Package. He then began touring the country and later the world, with only himself, an electric guitar, and his Package, bringing his original blend of electro-pop-punk and subtly humorous lyrics to anyone who would listen. After almost ten years and eight albums, Atom decided it was time to call it quits when he was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes and he and his wife received news that they would be having a baby. On August 29th 2003, Atom and His Package played their final show together. This Cd/DVD is the live recording of that show.

Now that you have been briefed on the history, let's talk about the disc. Hair Debatable is essentially a combination of a greatest hits album and a live album. With topics that range from lonesome grandmothers, love for Enya, and the metric system to riding bikes, demolition, and what Jews do on Christmas, it is obvious that Atom has his tongue firmly planted in cheek when he writes his songs. The chugging electric guitar lines, nasally-intoned sing-along melodies, and jumpy programmed beats, make for an energetic and overall fun listen the entire way through. The DVD features the final show in its entirety, two documentaries that were made about Atom, and a music video for "Undercover Funny." With over 71 minutes of audio and even more video footage, you definitely get your money's worth with this release.

Overall, the only downside to this is that it is a live show, and while it's nice to be able to listen to a band's final show for nostalgic purposes, they are usually not as good as recorded albums. The recording mix is a little bit weak for the first one or two songs, as the entire album was mixed live in a matter of seconds, but it does sound pretty decent after that. Also, because the album was recorded in a hot church basement on a humid summer day, Atom sounds like he is out of breath occasionally, but for the most part, these are just trivial details. Whether you are a fan of Atom and His Package or if you are just looking for a fun album to dance, listen, and/or laugh to, you should definitely give this a try. With all the depressing emo bands out there, you owe it to yourself to listen to something amusing for a change.

3/4