Veteran Floridian indie rock act Home's "concept record about fucking" certainly isn't a new or novel idea; there've been electronic albums wholly constructed around bedroom noise, and let's not bother discussing Har Mar Superstar. Home's aim in Sexteen appears to be the realization of a (relatively) sexy, starry-eyed slab of "funky," squirmy indie rock. Sixteen (!) albums deep into their career, Home have been playing the mid-'90s-educated basement band card long enough to need a change, but one has to wonder who'd be able to swallow Sexteen without reservations at the clunkiness of "Baby, Yeah" or the complete lack of variety in the guitar licks of "Juicy Ass." Home's rhythm section isn't to blame: they lay a credible bed for the guitar and vocals to nestle atop. But singer/guitarist Andrew Deutsch can't carry the load. His guitar work serves mostly to remind the listener that this is basement-tape indie rock, not sex-jam funk, and his vocals don't let one ever forget that he's (sorry) white.
So, Home don't seem comfortable making a conventional 'sexy' record, and end up making something a lot more awkward. I'm all for naiveté and awkwardness in music about love and sex, but between phone conversations about handjobs, half-assed funk plodders, and complete messes like (appropriately enough) "Come," Home don't display a clarity of vision necessary to carry a record with so brash an M.O. While it's nice to see a veteran band stretching their range, it seems likely that Home's 16th record will go the way of their previous 15 — overlooked. Apply "criminally" to taste.
1. Other Times (Solar)
2. Teasin' and Pleasin'
3. Raging Angel
4. Juicy Ass
5. Straddle Me
6. Push
7. Deep Inside
8. Bubble
9. Slide
10. Fucking
11. Cry
12. Driving and Paralyzing
13. Rushing
14. Baby Yeah
15. Come
16. Tim's Entry
17. Moonkiss
18. Monkeybear
19. Other Times (Lunar)