Rob Christensen: Press

The Truth Hurts
*** (out of four)
Rob Christensen has a voice similiar to Cat Stevens and a style that is uniquely his own. His new album, The Truth Hurts, is an insightful journey through life in the eyes of the singer. The 29-year-old Eureka resident has written, recorded, and produced his 10-track album. "Somewhere Down The Road" is a moving piece about becoming oneself and getting through the difficulties of relationships. Christensen has written songs that metaphorically express feelings that arise during the ups and downs that relationships can cause. "Hey, what's your hurry? Don't leave me here lonely. The sun won't be shining until tomorrow morning," is just one of several meaningful lines that reflect Christensen's style. Christensen has taken several down-to-earth ideas and situations and turned them into feelings.
The Truth Hurts is a great album, full of feelings and is perfect for those rainy days when it does not seem like the sun will ever shine again.

Fred Cornog, Jim Shelley, Shelley Blake...now let Rob Christensen into the lonely-lo-fi-home-recording-guy club. He's that good. Christensen's weary, aching love songs have drawn comparison to REM, which he acknowledges as an influence but adds Neil Young, the Beatles, Elvis Costello, Joni MItchell, Rolling Stones, Prince and Bob Mould to the list. August company to be sure (I'll toss in Dylan and Fred Neil for good measure), but they've all written worse songs than "September Knows." I vaguely recall having gotten Christensen's Smile Slightly tape but don't think I ever listened to it. A crying shame, but I'm glad to have this one.

The promo material that was sent with this cassette said "think Automatic For The People crossed with Blood On The Tracks." Well, Christensen's phrasing is certainly reminiscent of Michael Stipe, but what I hear in these songs is the slow, hazy melancholy of folks like Mazzy Star. This is the first tape I've heard from Rob, and I definitely want to hear more.
Often sung with little more than a guitar and a light snare drum for accompaniment, these songs are lonely, stark and haunting. "September Knows" and "Free For All" seep into your soul and sit there, like a bout of seasonal depression. Christensen's cracked, emotive vocals suit the songs' desperation perfectly. I don't know if this stuff is based on personal experience, but it sounds like there's some genuine emotional turmoil going on here. The Truth Hurts is more spellbinding, and more genuine, than any poseur currently wasting your time on the radio.
Like the promo flyer says, "Summer is sad when August is over." Amen.

Rob Christensen delivers a solid album of searching electric/acoustic songs that cut to the bone of personal relationships. Christensen's sound combines folk rock, country, and a bit of blues that feels very, very from the heart, expressing clear emotions with a direct life-poetry. Fans of Dylan will certainly find another real artist here. Highly recommended. - Brian Baker, Gajoob

The Truth Hurts falls in that category between country, folk, and rock which sounds a little like each, but fits into none. The sound on the album recalls early American Music Club musically, flavored with Bob Dylan on such tracks as "Free For All." The lyrics stick to this obscure category as well; most of the songs deal with unrequited love mixed with anger and regret. The songs have a slow, lingering sound, which is almost a hindrance, as most of the tracks exceed four minutes. The result is an album which is exhausting at times. Unlike the aforementioned AMC, which provided variety in the form of musical experimentation and lyrical humor, there is no real respite from the slow songs with aching lyrics. An exception is the track "Promises," which picks up the tempo and may make the listener wish Christensen had supplied the album with more diversity. However, the songs that are there are good, and for fans of the co-fo-ro sound, it may be will worth trying. - Megan Heller, AUTOreverse, Spring 2000.

The Truth Hurts (released 1997) is Rob Christensen's second studio album, which contains 10 original tunes. Christensen hails from Eureka, California and brings with him a very thoughtful- almost melancholy sound, laced with seemingly personal lyrics which at times is hauntingly familiar to Dylan (Blood On The Tracks- era) complete with harmonica breaks; at other times reminiscent of REM - particularly in his vocals. While not really HAPPY songs, they seem to be more along the lines of "introspective" and that theme carries through most of the album. Along with those comparisons comes the delightful story-telling aspects of those aspects which keep the listeners' attention throughout. One example is “September Knows” - apparently about his unrequited affections for a married woman and the feelings associated with it. In fact many of the tunes here seem to be inspired by hard-to-get type women and the effect they have on us....er..... some people.
Basically simple tunes with deeply inspired vocals with an uncluttered, straightforward acoustic and electric backing music.- Bob Cooper, Portland Online MusicNet