Chain and the Gang's second album gives
Ian Svenonius another opportunity to stand in front of a massive ensemble of musicians on his soapbox. As on
Down with Liberty... Up with Chains!, a who's who of
K Records clientele backs up the former frontman of
the Make-Up while he holds together the purposely loose show with poignant rants and loads of charisma.
Music's Not for Everyone is a lazy take on garage rock, indie rock, and
Motown, fleshed out with vintage organs, raw guitar tones, and eight backup singers dealing out call-and-response lines. Overall, it's a darker and more uneven album than the debut, but notwithstanding a few oddities (three reprises, and
Arrington de Dionyso's Gregorian throat singing, namely), it's a respectable follow-up. As usual,
Svenonius' wit shines in his lyrics. He lays out the steps one must take when forming a Detroit garage rock band (
"Detroit Music" and
"Detroit Music, Pt. 2"), tries to file a grievance with a former lover for wearing out his lips (
"Bill for the Use of a Body"), and takes issue with so-called audiophiles, who miss the deeper meanings of music: "For them it's just something that they think they're supposed to do.../Music's not for them, it's for me and you." ~ Jason Lymangrover
