December 30, 2011 Playlist

"Camper Van Beethoven" by Camper Van Beethoven (1986)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Camper Van Beethoven  "Camper Van Beethoven"  1986 (USA)
Camper Van Beethoven was a unique group from the "eighties American Indie Rock boom" -- of all the bands from that scene, they had the least to do with "punk rock" and were among the most faithful reinterpreters of 60's and 70's "classic rock."  They jammed a lot (with a high degree of musicianship), played "fake ethnic music" (Middle Eastern, Ska, Gypsy, you name it) and even included a violin player in the band -- sticking out in a scene dominated by guitar-centric rockers like The Pixies, Replacements, Minutemen, etc.  This, their third self-titled album, is one of their best -- and arguably the most psychedelic, climaxing in a jam on Pink Floyd's "Interstellar Overdrive" (though their remake of the Fleetwood Mac album Tusk is exceedingly strange, and their collaborations with Eugene Chadbourne are also very far out!)
CVB's first proper music video was recorded for a song from this album, "Good Guys & Bad Guys".  But the first song that got them attention was "Take The Skinheads Bowling" from their debut album.  They were one of the first "indie" bands to sign to a major label in the later 1980's, resulting in non-hits like "Eye of Fatima" and an unnecessary remake of Status Quo's "Pictures of Matchstick Men".  However the band broke up before Nirvana and the grunge scene came along, thus missing their shot at mainstream popularity (though lead singer David Lowery did alright with his subsequent band Cracker).  Fortunately, they have regrouped in the last decade and continue to tour and record music -- they'll be in town at the High Noon Saloon next week, and are currently working on what will be their third new post-reunion album (coming out in 2012 perhaps?)
(N) = New Release
(R) = Listener Request
Artist Song Album Year (label) Country
The Modern Lovers
Modern World The Modern Lovers
rec. 1972, rel. 1976
USA
Television
Elevation Marquee Moon
1977USA
SebadohDrama MineBakesale "Deluxe Edition" (N - reissue)1994
(
2011 Sub Pop)
USA
Thee Oh Sees
Carrion Crawler
Carrion Crawler / The Dream (N)2011 (In The Red)USA
Rocket From The TombsI Sell SoulBarfly (N)2011 (Hearpen/Smog Veil)USA
Eddy Current Suppression Ring
Noise In My HeadSo Many Things (N - compilation of singles and odd tracks)2009 (2011 Goner)Australia
 
  
Camper Van Beethoven
Good Guys & Bad Guys
Camper Van Beethoven
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1986USA
Camper Van Beethoven Hippy Chix New Roman Times
2004USA
Camper Van Beethoven
Still Wishing To Course
Camper Van Beethoven
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1986USA
Camper Van Beethoven White Fluffy Clouds New Roman Times
2004USA
Camper Van Beethoven
Interstellar Overdrive (Pink Floyd)
Camper Van Beethoven
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1986USA
Husker Du (R)
Eiffel Tower High Candy Apple Grey
1986USA
 
  
Spirit
Fresh Garbage (R) Spirit
1968USA
The Black Angels
Telephone
Phosphene Dream
2010USA
The Bevis Frond
Why Have You Been Fighting Me?
The Leaving of London (N)2011 (Woronzow)UK
Duchess Says
L'Ordre Des Secteurs
In A Fung Day T! (N)
2011 (Alien 8)Canada (Quebec)
Zun Zun Egui
Transport / Mr. Brown
Katang (N)2011 (Yep Rock)UK
Eric Copeland
Alien In A Garbage Dump
Alien In A Garbage Dump2009USA
 
  
Eternal Tapestry & Sun Araw
Night Gallery II
Night Gallery (N)2011 (Thrill Jockey)USA
Atlas Sound
Quark part 1
   / Quark part 2
Parallax (N - bonus track version)2011 (4AD)USA
 
 
Black Tempest Tanks But No Tanks (1st July 2011)
Supernormal Recordings (N)2011 (Tempest Towers)UK
The Guess Who
Dreams Power In The Music
1975Canada
Los Zombies (Guzzo Pinc)
Mr. Butterfly
We Tote The Note (N)2011 (self release)USA
 
  
Wooden Wand & The Briarwood Virgins Winter In Kentucky
Briarwood (N)2011 (Fire Music)USA
Kate Bush 50 Words For Snow
50 Words For Snow (N)2011 (Anti-)UK
Solus 3Reich
Corner Of The World (N)2011 (Solus 3 Recordings)UK
Brian Eno & Rick HollandBless This Space
Drums Between The Bells (N)2011 (Warp)UK
Björk
Dark Matter (With Choir And Organ)
Biophilia (N - deluxe version)2011 (One Little Indian)Iceland

 
Royal Trux
Another Year Accelerator1998USA
                 
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