MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: MICHAEL FEUERSTACK - THE FORGETTABLE TRUTH

Since putting his long-time alias of Snailhouse out to pasture, Mr. Feuerstack has concentrated on more conventional, pop-acquainted singer/songwriter fare, to fine results.  Now, nobody is rushing to the dance floor here, but there's a beat you can sway to, if the music is largely calm and contemplative.  Still, numbers such as Receiver and The Devil have some indie spark.  But there are far more pleasant sounds here than noisy ones, and a refreshing gentleness.  The whole thing sounds like a hug.

The insights inside are a little more edgy, with his slightly askew lyrics:  "Mother tongue, she always eats her young."  You're never quite sure if Feuerstack is positive or negative, particularly about love.  In his song, he has to point out that Cupid's arrows aren't meant to kill, but that doesn't mean they don't hurt, and the dude is a bit sadistic:  "He just wants to see you dance."  In all this pleasing music, there are a lot of negative words, almost to balance out the pretty.  So there you go, it sounds great and makes you think.