Watch Me Fall (Bonus Track Version)

Jay Reatard's sophomore album is trimmed with all the trappings of lo-fi cool, but once you get past his hip arsenal of aural accoutrements, Watch Me Fall begins to unfold with an emphasis on carefully crafted melodies and arrangements that are much less predictable than the 1-4-5 structures dotting many of his early singles. Without completely segueing into indie-pop, Reatard maintains a balance of his original filthy Memphis grit with tunes that would translate well if covered by more polished commercial bands. And oddly enough, the first two cuts sound uncannily inspired by Whiskeytown-era Ryan Adams — more specifically the song “Don’t Be Sad” from 2001’s Pneumonia. (Listen to “Don’t Be Sad” and then to the ending bridge on “It Ain’t Gonna Save Me” and the opening arpeggio of “Before I Was Caught.”) “Man of Steel” moves with a fast punk pogo-pace that sounds more influenced by UK punk from the late ‘70s, as does the bonus track “Tiny Little Home,” which plays like the offspring of 999 and Toy Dolls.