I don’t want to hear about other people’s problems. Especially when I’m sitting back, relaxing with a beer, a book and my iPod. After about three songs on The Like’s new album, Release Me, lead singer Elizabeth Berg’s incessant lamenting over her past relationship blunders becomes over dramatic, annoying, and even laughable.
Throughout the album Berg portrays a multitude of emotions veiled in a nonchalant guise of passivity and candor that at first seems cute, even charming. Her warm, inviting voice almost makes you forget about the nonsense she’s blabbering about. But eventually, the thirteen cookie-cutter pop tracks become indiscernible, one blending right into the other, and Berg’s relentlessness catches up. By that point her candor seems more and more like schoolgirl complaints about boy problems and your iPod has switched to another artist. Who hurt you, Liz?
Anyway, maybe this just isn’t my taste in music, but maybe listening to this album is like listening to a collection of tracks I’ve already heard in a dozen places, just worse. Most of the time the album sounds like Metric, and at others Belle and Sebastian, sans the intricate musical intrigue. It’s not that it’s terribly offensive music; it just doesn’t have much to offer.
Listen to Release Me with fresh ears and really low expectations, and you may gain something from it. If you’re having guy problems, the can album will help. But probably not. Otherwise go listen to some Radiohead.
For more information on The Like check out their official website and get their album on 
.