Highway Songs
is former
Slint
guitarist
David Pajo
's return to making music under the
Papa M
moniker since the mid-2000s. A lot has happened in his life since then.
went on multiple reunion tours,
Pajo
recorded three solo albums under his surname (including
Misfits
cover album
Scream with Me
), and he briefly joined
the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
and
Interpol
as a touring member. In more personal matters, he survived a suicide attempt in early 2015, and in 2016, he nearly lost one of his feet in a motorcycle accident. Thanks to an outpouring of support from friends, family, and fans, he continued making new music.
is brief, clocking in at less than half-an-hour, but its nine tracks are wildly diverse, reflecting multiple aspects of
's persona. In terms of other
releases, it's closer to the eclectic 2004 rarities collection
Hole of Burning Alms
(albeit nowhere near as long) rather than the post-rock of 1999's
Live from a Shark Cage
or the
Will Oldham
-like indie folk of 2001's
Whatever, Mortal
or many of his EPs. A few tracks on
delve into
Sabbath
-inspired metal or grunge, with thundering riffs, battering drums, and hair-raising feedback. These songs could possibly be perceived as his version of music fit for a biker gang, possibly in relation to his motorcycle accident. "The Love Particle" is a chaotic electronic experiment, with flanged backwards guitar melodies peering out from underneath waves of frazzled glitches and static. On a few occasions, all of this pauses and a little girl whispers "I love you, daddy." A blipping, swirling drum machine anchors "Adore, A Jar," but this time the guitars are much smoother and more upfront. Following two brief, atmospheric guitar pieces, "Walking on Coronado" is a bright, bittersweet, soundtrack-ready tune with chiming guitars and snapping drum machine beats. The album ends with an arrangement of traditional folk tune "Little Girl," and it's the only song on the album with lyrics.
's dusky, nearly
Leonard Cohen
-esque voice croons "teach me to laugh again" over dazzling guitar shredding and acoustic strumming.
encapsulates
's life experiences into a poignant travelog, and considering all that he's been through, it's a life-affirming work. [
was also released on LP.] ~ Paul Simpson