A hand-made, construction paper CD sleeve sits in front of me, bright yellow and covered with pasted-on cutouts of crossword puzzle answer keys and yearbook photos; a Sharpied scrawl indicates band and album title. The visual introduction seems to say, “Hey, look at us! Aren’t we indie cute and self-deprecating?” Woody Whatever, I reply, you’re trying too hard to seem like you’re not trying too hard. But I still like your band.
Woody Whatever is from Dayton, Ohio and plays a blend of indie pop and emo with a little ’60s-style folky psychedelica thrown in the mix. An obvious student of the early Beatles and Guided By Voices, Woody’s founder Erik Schmall is a gifted songwriter who delivers his simple pop through jangly garage band sparkle. Vocally, he’s an earnest lad who goes for winsome, uncomplicated melodies on “Tell Everyone” (a breezy Ocean Blue throwback replete with charismatic hooks) and “Go Away” (the latter a tale of frustration via vintage, ‘verbed-out pop, propelled by an infectious chorus). Singularly, each track is a tight, buoyant little nugget averaging in the two minute range and teeming with dimpled sensitivity. As an album, When I Lost I Left’s aw-shucks unaffectedness and cutie-pie melodies get cloying indeed. However, before your stomach starts to churn you’ll be knocked over by Woody’s boyish, harmonic charm. It also helps that after a quick look at the group’s web site, you see that When I Lost I Left is available for $3.00, postage paid. Not a bad price for it, I’d have to say — but hurry, there are only 50 copies available and I’ve got number 16. — Walt Miller

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