I have uncovered the secret lovechild of Jimmy Buffet and Ray Stevens and his name is Andy Mullen. Unfortunately, Andy must also have someone else in his lineage: that guy at any party you've ever been to who tries so hard to capture everyone's attention he does the juggling and the magic tricks and proclaims his semi-pro stand-up comedian status before regaling you with his oh-so-amusing one-liners. You know the guy who just doesn't know when to stop? Yeah, that guy. In I Wish My Name Was Jack, Mullen hasn't quite harnessed the power from Papa Buffet and Daddy Stevens but, instead, dispenses the duddiness of Uncle Fuddy.

I really wanted to like this album. Mullen's music is so far off the beaten path he is one of the few musicians in recent years to actually fit into the category of ‘alternative' music--- if only the genre's title had not become such a misnomer. Mullen is a throwback to the days when talent was all that mattered and you got the feeling that mainstream music resulted from actual people-not an insta-Musak-machine.

But listening to this album is like watching a sitcom with the laugh track cueing you to a response. Mullen's lyrics are just too strategically clever to cajole a cackle even though you know you have been prompted to do so. Take "I'm sorry Jeannie," for instance. This tune is a catchy little ditty about the regrettable morning after you've pissed off all your friends with your drunken antics. Though Mullen may have "killed a fish, broke a dish, puked all over my friend Trish" and "pissed off Bill, pissed on Jill, maybe pissed on Stephen Stills" by the time he "burned your chair, pulled your hair, defecated over there" the tribute to his alcohol-induced hyperactive bodily functions has gotten a little old.

Andy Mullen is a true storyteller, and his narratives certainly tell a tale. At times, though, the tales he tells seem retold, retold, retold. I don't believe there's a song in the mix that doesn't reference liquor-imbibing. (No seriously-I've double-checked.) So, if you want to create the illusion of sitting next to that rambling drunk at your local pub, this is the album for you.

Don't get me wrong, Andy Mullen is definitely talented. His voice is unique, he is a skilled lyricist (even though I'd say he hasn't fully tapped into that talent) and you've got to love a musician who not only writes his own music but also plays the piano, mandolin, guitar and harmonica. I just didn't get the feeling that this sophomore album represents the heart and soul he has yet to give. But I am definitely looking forward to attempt number three. Guitar, Vocals, Piano, Mandolin, Harmonica,