Pete Yorn: The Day I Forgot : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Day I Forgot isn't much of a progression from Pete Yorn's workmanlike 2001 debut, Musicforthe morningafter. At its best, his earnest folk rock is a mix of literate melancholy and ragged melodies. Yorn sounds a bit friskier on his second album, and that's a plus, particularly when he flirts with Led Zep's mondo boogie on "Carlos (Don't Let It Go to Your Head)." But apart from a voice that makes being bummed out sound almost sensuous, Yorn still hasn't developed a truly distinctive musical personality to go with his one-man-band studio skills. His songs drift pleasantly enough from imitation emo to burned-out ballads. But instead of genuine risk or revelation, Day I Forgot offers demurrals. As the album winds down, Yorn laments that "it's the same old song." Exactly.

GREG KOT
(From RS 921, May 1, 2003)