Kind of Like Spitting

The prolific nature of Kind of Like Spitting’s Ben Barnett is both a blessing and curse. When he’s good, he’s really good, but unfortunately you have to look at a lot of rocks before you find a diamond. And there are not too many gems here. The Thrill of the Hunt is a low-key acoustic affair which could best be described as pleasant, and that’s about all. It collects together demo versions of some songs from last year’s In the Red and other leftovers, and unfortunately, it feels like it too. There also four covers taken from his internet cover song series, with some interesting choices such as Bad Religion’s "You” and Big Star’s "Thirteen,” although they are more novelties than anything else. It definitely isn’t his best work — sometimes there is a reason why things don’t make the cut first time around — and this patchiness is its downfall. He’s at his best when he’s writing honest, heartfelt songs and that has never been truer than with "Holding Patterns,” a song about the death of one of his friends.