The Minus 5

If you have an addictive personality like I do, you’ll appreciate The Minus 5’s ode to cigarettes, coffee, and booze aptly named “Cigarettes Coffee and Booze.” The Minus 5, an indie-rock band, has an unusual tone and creative, if not somewhat depressing, lyrics. Sometimes they sound almost bebop, and at other times they have a country flavor.

If you suffer from Seasonal Depression Disorder, or a more general gloomy malaise of late winter, this album won’t exactly pep you up with tunes like “Bought a Rope,” or “Cemetery Row” (” It’s not such a bad place / don’t you want to go”). But if you like music to match your moodiness as opposed to temper it, this might be the album for you. “A Rifle Named Goodbye” (“gonna masturbate to radio”) is a great break-up song. Their eclectic sound and perverse lyrics are very appealing. My personal favorites of the album (also called The Minus 5) are “Out There on the Maroon” (“it’s not pretty when your best friend is a saloon”), “All Worn Out,” “My Life as a Creep,” and, of course, “Cigarettes Coffee and Booze.”

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