Liner notes in this CD echo what Ty lamented during the last interview we did together -- that the songs were good therapy, but by the time they found their way onto an album, it was very old news. Even though he added a few non-depressing songs to this album, it still provides a very sad listen. The only tracks that do not carry a dark veil of despair and hurt are allegories of carnivals and clowns, which are in essence fake smiles and temporary distractions. While pain and tension often produce the most enduring art, these forlorn musical poems are some of the saddest ever to grace a rock record. If I were making a tragic romantic movie, I'd have a well-stocked songlist to choose from. Musically, this isn't a departure from several of the obvious "Ty songs" on King's X albums past.
Editors' ratings - Doug 3/5, Jason 3/5
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Brian A. SmithBetter known as the guitarist and sometime lead singer of King's X, Ty Tabor has quietly released three solo albums. The latest of these is Safety, an album that Tabor himself calls "the most difficult subject matter I had ever written about". This becomes evident in the lyrics -- at least seven of the ten songs deal with the deterioration of Tabor's marriage and the subsequent divorce. Even the…
