What a fortunate thing that great music doesn’t always need to reinvent the wheel.

Damion Suomi’s music might never be the flame that suckers in indie moths. No, far from it. In truth, he’s a little more like Kansas City’s downtown architecture: just because it’s not revolutionary, doesn’t mean it doesn’t achieve its effects very, very well.

It’s unfortunate artists will always end up compared to one another as mutual benchmarks. Suomi wails the songs on his self-titled album in the timbre that makes Michael Stipe so endearing.

Give Suomi plenty of credit for this much: the first two tracks, “Archer Woman” and “Darwin, Jesus, the Devil and Me," have a grandfather clock-steady pace with just enough introspection on crappy relationships none of us can seem to just let go. On “What A Wonderful Game," he slows it right down to nearly a drinking-song sort of pace and affirms an old rule about singer-songwriters, whether it be Liz Phair, Julia Nunes or hypothetically Pete Yorn: we somehow love them more for some perceived honesty when they curse a little.

You almost believe it might’ve been cribbed from Neil Young or Jack Kerouac, when a handsome, plain-looking young man sings it just right. It’s that darn Michael Stipe thing again. Really, how do these people do that? In all seriousness, the F-bombs serve as an underscore the way he emphasizes them, reminding us all that this is a story of emotionally destructive sex among that he feels resigned to out of – who knows, loneliness?

“What a wonderful game that we play,” he croons over a very Irish violin lick. Indeed, it is wonderful.

Face it, Josh Rouse, Pete Yorn, Colin Hay – none of them necessarily should stand out among anyone’s collection as remarkable, distinctive talents. If they do, it might very well be a pretty underwhelming collection to start with. But Suomi, like those three other male singer-songwriters, isn’t out to be an innovator necessarily. His voice and songwriting will naturally draw comparisons to Michael Stipe and for the love of God, man, don’t fight that! Embrace it! But like the other three, he’ll always be dependable if he keeps this up. He can always be counted on to produce something truthful, something stripped-down and accessible and something anyone can not only understand but enjoy without having to think too hard.

Please believe, that’s not a bad thing. There’s a time and a place for Coldplay and Radiohead. Then again, there’s a time and a place a few beers into a Thursday night after last call when the Westport bars have emptied for something your addled state will still let you understand.

That’s where Suomi comes in, does his thing and assures you he’ll be there the next time you need him, too.

C’mon, what’s not to love about that?

Review by: Sean Comer

Additional link:
- Damion Suomi on Myspace