What could possibly pair better than some slapped-together tunes recorded mostly on a 4-track cassette machine and some beer I made myself in my basement? Nothing, that's what! Hell, some of these songs even feature some better-known recordings being manipulated and accompanied with odd noise, and my beer that I "made" came in a kit. I think there's a connection there, maybe not. I don't recall exactly when or where I bought this record, but it was a while ago, and it was most likely at Newbury Comics. Don't be fooled by the ironic album title, there are more than four songs and there is no cd involved whatsoever. The beer is from the Mr. Beer company, and this particular batch is in the style of an English Brown Ale. My friends and I used to think that the crappy Meister Brau we drank translated to Mr. Beer. My friends and I were idiots, as evidenced by the crappy beer we drank too much of all the time.
This is my fourth attempt at brewing my own beer, and I must say, the results are far better than any of the previous batches. The beer is a bit sweet, but not overly so, has a decent body and color, and much less of the odd aftertaste I've grown accustomed to my homebrews having. The simplicity of the process, at least when using this particular kit, was surprising to me. It's not much more complicated than cooking up a box of macaroni and cheese. I was more diligent with sanitizing all bottles and equipment this time around, and also more patient with the process, so that's probably why the end result was much improved. Beer! From the cellar!
On to the record: we'll start, as usual, with the cover. Could be found photography, like the kind featured in this wonderful website and magazine. It could also very likely be a childhood photo of one or more of the band members themselves. Singer, guitarist, and occasional bassist, Lou Barlow is certainly not averse to this, as his one-year-old, naked self is the subject of the cover of the '94 full-length, Bakesale.
The first "song" on side one is called "Mor Backlash," and consists mostly of layered, manipulated samples, notably the chorus from Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love," mixed with some spacy noises and record skips. I suppose it's an interesting introduction, it's over before you know it. The second song, "Rebound," is the real standout track on the record and is also featured on Bakesale. (video below) Its got all of the hallmarks of the 90's indie sound: jangling yet still aggressive guitars, awesome vocal hooks, heavy and distorted bass providing counter-melody, good stuff! It's an excellent pop tune with raw personality and no soul-sucking slick coating. "Not a Friend," is vintage Lou Barlow, an acoustic guitar, and a 4-track. This is a more stripped-down version than the one which appears on the aforementioned full-length. It's a mournful and self-deprecating tune, with layered, soft vocals, and features some accordion-sounding instrument towards the end. It could actually be an accordion, I'm really not certain. Might be a recorder. It is not a saxophone, that is for sure. "Careful," a Jason Lowenstein number, has an odd, stilted rhythm, catchy and plaintive vocal lines, and relies heavily upon the bass to steer it along. The band recently reunited for a tour and I was fortunate enough to catch the Middle East show. "Careful" was one of the highlights of the night. I was extremely jealous of how everyone in the band, though older than I am, have managed to hang on to their hair. I have not been as fortunate. But I digress, here's a video:
The second side is much more sporadic and chaotic. "Foreground" kicks it off with a complete cacophony of strange, disjointed noise. There is a piano in there, some bass notes, you can hear a voice say, "Let's work on that ballad again," and then it's over. "Naimi" has an odd circus-like feel and continues in the "mash a bunch of instruments together without any sort of central theme or idea," vein. Could work for a film soundtrack... perhaps to a movie written, shot, and directed by a parallel universe Helen Keller, constantly drunk and devouring sausage and wholly unconcerned with those around her. I'd fucking see that flick. Anyway, next up is the instrumental, "40203." It has an evil, plodding feel, with simple bass and guitar working melodies with and against each other. It has a sort of Cure ala Pornography vibe. Towards the end it gets nice and drony. I like it. I like it so much, I used parts of it in the soundtrack I came up with for my friend's play, "Charlotte the Destroyer." But enough about me, let's talk about you! Or we could just move on to "Mystery Man." This Lou Barlow song also appears on the full length, but in a much evolved version. It has a similar feel to "Not a Friend," slow-moving, quiet and melancholic vocals, creepy acoustic guitars... it's the closest side two has to a highlight. "Drumstick Jungle" is more chaos and noise and general madness. The finale comes in the way of "Lime Kiln." It starts off with a pleasant bass line and vocal melody, then takes a sharp turn and picks up a bit of speed. It nearly morphs into a completely different song. Sounds like a mix of potential ideas looking for a home. Before the needle returns home we're treated to what has to be a sample from some found VHS tape or something, horrible 80's infomercial muzak, with an overly cheery girl asserting, "A lot of people think I'm from Chicago... I'm not, I'm from North Dakota!" Good night!
