AMG Review of EP

Francis Arres
All Music Guide

Owen, who is Mike Kinsella, continues with sensitive songwriting on EP, released by Polyvinyl. Kinsella always leans toward the emo side of things, which is to be expected considering his past, but he manages to be tasteful and not overly melodramatic, mingling reflective lyrics of relationships and the subtleties of life against gentle guitars and the occasional tight drumming as on "Skin and Bones." Kinsella's vocals, with their sense of longing and delivery, work well against the music. "That Mouth" and "Gazebo" touch on an emotional side that brings in slowcore and shoegaze elements along with washes of guitar effects, keyboards, and vibraphone, and sounding similar to Days in December, Karate, or even Ida. This short, melancholic EP is a successful outing by Owen that leaves you with sadness and longing for something you can't quite pinpoint.