The second album by Ghost Of An American Airman makes no huge advance on the first, but that is no shame - the first was very good and there is no sophomore slump at all with this band. The alternative pop music on Skin is always catchy and sometimes inspired, with some poppy tracks that blend punkish energy and melodic rock. Other cuts depart from standard verse/chorus/verse song structure entirely, such as the beautiful, wistful "Bird", which is distinctly a poem set to music rather than a song. Lead singer Dodge Mc Kay experiments a bit with his vocals here, daring to shout, croon, growl, and speak some of his lyrics. Though there is an occasional resemblance to that other Irish band, U2, Mc Kay and company had a sound that was recognizably their own. The closing cover of "Wichita Lineman" shows that they could even get some mileage out of a Glenn Campbell tune, making it sound achingly lovely even with loud guitars roaring behind the singer. Such touches mark this band as aspiring to be something more than a standard-issue rock band, and set Ghost Of An American Airman apart from their fellows both then and now. Skin has dated well and is still worth an occasional listen. ~ Richard Foss