This came out in 2001 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
“Put it this way,” said the newsroom Pearl Jam fan when I asked what he thought of guitarist Stone Gossard’s solo debut. “The first song is called Bore Me and that pretty much sums it up.”
Indeed it might — if you’re expecting something that has the brawn, bombast and bravado of his main gig. But if you’re looking for a distinctive little disc with some edgy songcraft and stylish experimentation, this might be up your alley. Stylistically, Stone is all over the place — Pigeon mines a simple, garage-band rock vibe, Anchors shambles along with the rootsy grandeur of The Band, Cadillac is a dubby reggae spliff, the title cut takes a tour through swampy southern-rock fuzz, and the rest of this 10-song variety pack is no different. And while his fragile vocals aren’t going to make Eddie Vedder jealous, they do give these cuts an unvarnished honesty that only enhances their appeal. Vitalogy Pt. 2 it ain’t, but unlike my co-worker, Bayleaf didn’t bore me.
