I gave you the heads up on Tuesday that Patti Rothberg’s latest studio effort Double Standards, was hitting the shelves. And since then, I actually got my mitts on a copy of the disc that same day, and have had a couple of days to get my head around the album.

My quick review that I’ll share with you finds Patti in a spot that is musically more uptempo ala her debut Between The 1 and The 9, while continuing the introspective display that was fleshed out in greater detail on her last CD Candelabra Cadabra.

Patti continues to be one of the most cynically brilliant lyricists in my musical collection.

What I want it hasn’t happened
What I need is never mine
Some say it’s all for a reason
I’m still looking for a sign

Someone always tries to wield it
Power chips and I fall down
It’s no wonder I stay shielded
From aggression all around

I hold the strings to my own purse
In my alternate universe
Things only get better as they get worse
In my alternate universe

Patti Rothberg – Alternate Universe

download MP3

In our alternate universe, things are great through our perfect though unrealistic view of how things should be. It’s a fun place to visit when things get frustrating in the real world, but truthfully, I’m happy and secure most days in my regular universe.

Indeed there are days where it seems like “things only get better as they get worse,” which makes me think of Terry Anderson’s sarcastically titled CD What Else Can Go Right?

In my “alternate universe,” I dream of a world where I haven’t said too much. And in the real world, I work to perfect that by saying one sentence at times where I might have otherwise said six.

“Alternate Universe” is one track among many on Double Standards that cover a wide range of subjects that we can all identify with. We’re trying to figure this “life” thing out on a daily basis, and Patti writes some of the most perfect songs that hit the mark on that very subject. Check out Hard Times (download), for example. And then there’s the love stuff.

To quote Huey Lewis, “You know girls, us guys, sometimes we wish ya’ll would just make up your minds!”

Rothberg has a knack for the “I’m just trying to figure you/us out” song. Candelabra Cadabra’s “The Late, Late Show” (download), which I wrote about previously here, is a great example of that. Relationships should be a great thing, and indeed they can be, but many times, I feel like we make it harder than it needs to be. I try personally not to bang my head against the wall, but I’ll admit that there can be frustration. Which is where I work to remember three simple words that sum it up for me – “All in time.”

Simply put, Patti Rothberg is good at capturing the emotions that we experience in daily life, and is great at communicating them via song in a way that feels real and identifiable. It’s the mark of a great songwriter, and I think that you can definitely apply that tag to Patti Rothberg.

I’ll put Double Standards in your musical shopping cart as a must hear for 2008, (previous entries in this category include the Gary Louris Vagabonds CD.) and share with you my opinion that Patti has crafted her strongest CD to date. Candelabra Cadabra took a few listens for me to get it, while Double Standards immediately sunk its musical hooks in – I got it right away with no hesitation. There are 16 tracks that are numerous in their musical highlights – Patti references the time that they spent sequencing the specific track order, and I think they hit it. Double Standards delivers time and time again with each listen – hopefully you’ll agree!

Good stuff if you’re a fan of:

Liz Phair, Juliana Hatfield, just to name a couple!

Purchase Double Standards:

Amazon
Itunes