We all loved Beck's Odelay, right? And many of us harbor a certain admiration for pure-pop craftsmen like Ben Folds Five and Matthew Sweet, correct? Self's Gizmodgery sounds a bit like Ben Folds Five played through an Odelay filter, so why isn't it a hit? Maybe it's because Gizmodgery is played by Matt Mahaffey entirely on toy instruments. If you've checked out toy instruments lately, you'll know that some are pretty sophisticated and fun as is Gizmodgery. Sure, you can't escape the toy piano on the ballad "I Love To Love Your Love My Love," but you'll be amazed that the grunge-pop of "9 Lives" and "Dead Man," the white-boy funk of "Trunk Fulla Amps" and the Prince-like "Pattycake" were created on tools available at a Toys R Us or garage sale near you. And after you hear Self's cover of the Doobie Brothers' "What A Fool Believes," you'll find it hard to believe that the original wasn't performed with toys.
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