I Am a Sucker for Re-Issues

The headline really needs no explaining.

• The Beatles - Rubber Soul (1965), The Beatles (a.k.a., "The White Album") (1968; both re-issued 2009).  Rubber Soul takes me back to grade school, playing Dungeons and Dragons and board games at Tom McBride's house.  It's a great album, even after all these years:  besides the classics "Nowhere Man," "Drive My Car, "Norwegian Wood," and "In My Life," there's the keyboard sound on "Think for Yourself," which is epic in itself.  I used to spin sister Carrie around to "Run for Your Life" when she was four... which in retrospect is pretty disturbing.  And as much as Sgt. Pepper's is credited as being a seminal album, Rubber Soul was truly The Beatles' transition album from complete pop to the deeper, more musically interesting experiments of Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's.  The White Album takes me back to childhood as well (we played a lot of Beatles, Blondie, and Abba at the McBride's); this double album follow-up to Sgt. Pepper's still feels like a lot of odds and ends all jumbled together, but it's epic.  As for the re-mastering itself:  it sounds like you're listening to the original vinyl.  And that's as high a compliment as I can give.
  Verdict:  Recommended if you don't have any/some Beatles albums on CD.  They are still the best.
  
  
• INXS - Kick (1987, re-issued 2002).  One of the soundtracks to Smith Middle 2nd floor my freshman year in college.  This re-issue sounds fine, although I really don't hear anything remarkable in the re-mastering.   The four songs they added are really not necessary.
  Verdict:  No need unless you don't own the album, or you are an INXS completist.
  
  
• Jawbox - For Your Own Special Sweetheart (1993, re-issued 2009).  This is the original recording of the album, re-mastered, and was new material for me coming in.  However, it turns out that at least "Savory" is a song I heard on the radio back in the day.  It's very solid, with a couple of above average tracks (like "Reel"); the songs are a bit "same-y" sounding after awhile.  But it's still quality stuff; think Sheila Divine (although not quite as good as them).
  Verdict:  On the border of the CD Rack/Portable CD Case territory.  The extra songs probably aren't worth buying the album again if you already have it.
  
  
• Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (1979, re-issued 2007).  This is part of the series of re-issues of Joy Division material, featuring deluxe packaging and a live CD in addition to the original album.  From the opening of "Disorder," it's clear why Joy Division spawned so many copycats from the moment of their inception.  The re-mastering really cleans up the recording as well.  It's a great album, although I think I don't appreciate as much now as I probably will with more listens.
  Verdict:  Portable CD Case.  Worth it for the re-mastering, I'd guess.  The live bonus album is nice but not spectacular, and thus is really only for completists.
  
  
• Pylon - Chomp More (1983, re-issued 2009).  After Gyrate's re-issue, Chomp's re-issue was only a matter of time; I really hope they re-release their 1990 finale Chain as well, but I think the band has turned their back on that album.  Summary:  there's no R.E.M., or an Athens scene (with the notable exception of the B-52's) without Pylon; they're not famous because they were constantly at the wrong place at the wrong time in their career.  This re-issue is spectacular and you should own it.  Absolutely worth it for anyone; how did they leave some of these songs (like "Spider," "Gyrate," or the Pylon Mix of "Yo-Yo") off the compilation Hits?  GO OUT AND GET THIS NOW.
  Verdict:  It's okay.
  
  
• Sun Dial - Other Way Out (1990, re-issued 2006).  (PV) at the once-defunct- but-recently-revived [uzine] online zine turned me on to these guys; they're the best psychedelic rock group you've never heard of.  Mojo went as far to call this album "The greatest unheard psychedelic album ever."  And if Mojo and I are on the same page... well, that actually means little to nothing.  This re-issue (which expands the 2003 re-issue with eight additional tracks) is excellent as it's really an album you never want to see end.  So this one works well.
  Verdict:  I'm throwing it (and Pylon) back into the car.  They're both great.
  
  
• U2 - The Unforgettable Fire (1984, re-issued 2009).  Others can wax poetic about The Unforgettable Fire; I will not.  In my opinion, it's the worst pre-Rattle and Hum album (i.e., 1988) they released: I doubt many will argue it was outshone by both its predecessor (War) and successor (The Joshua Tree).  What it does have is the best song U2 ever recorded:  "Pride (In the Name of Love)."  The re-mastering definitely helps put the shine back on this album and reveal the quality that is there.  The bonus disc contains the entire excellent Wide Awake in America EP (including the classic live version of "Bad"), as well the single version of "Pride" and its three b-sides ("Boomerang I," "Boomerang II," and a longer version of "4th of July.")  This may be a case where the bonus disc is better than the actual album. 
  Verdict:  Despite all I've said above, U2 from 1980-1992 were one of my favorite bands, and thus this album (while flawed) is still excellent and a cut above the rest.  A must if you are a U2 diehard, and even if you're not, the bonus disc makes the whole album worth it.  An American-obsessed album by an American-obsessed band on the verge of becoming global superstars.
  
  
• Uncle Tupelo - Anodyne (1993, re-issued 2003).  My kind of alt-country.  This is a great re-mastering of a tremendous album -- Uncle Tupelo's last before Jay Farrar founded Son Volt and Jeff Tweedy countered with Wilco.  If there was acrimony between the two (and I've read that there was), it doesn't come through on the album.  I hate country as a rule, but you can't argue with this album.  It's great.
  Verdict:  Probably worth picking up for the five bonus tracks for the diehards.  If you don't own it, you really should.
  
  
• Yes - Close to the Edge (1972, re-issued 2003).  One of my all-time favorites.  I still remember playing this on vinyl:  one song on Side 1, two on Side 2.  It works because "Close to the Edge" is the best 20-minute song I've ever heard; "And You and I" is in the top five for 10-minute songs; and "Siberian Khatru" is no slouch either.  All in all a great album.  When you consider that in 1972 Yes released this album and the album Fragile, which many critics see as the two best albums of their career... well, that's a good year.  It's actually shocking that Close to the Edge charted at #3 on the Billboard chart, while the much more poppy and easily consumable Fragile (with the single "Roundabout," no less) only made it to #4.  I love their cover of "America" (one of the bonus tracks), although the other bonus tracks are nothing to write home about.
  Verdict:  I love Yes.  There, I said it.  You happy now?

 - Snilch   

Randy Bewley, 1955-2009

Yesterday was a very sad day: Pylon guitarist Randy Bewley passed away. Most of the obits run like this one, but I don't think they come close to encapsulating the kind of impact his playing, or his band, had on rock music.

I got to know Pylon after they had broken up the first time, when I was in college. I bought a cassette of Hits, which compiled 90% of their entire recorded output at that point (two albums and an EP) into one cassette. Serendipity intervened, as at almost exactly the same time the band re-formed and released their third (and final) album, Chain. I later went out and got Hits on CD as well. I rarely listen to this album, as Mrs. Snilch Report long ago hijacked it for her music collection (and there is no higher praise of my musical taste than that); it remains a thoroughly underrated pop gem. As a band, Pylon consistently remains one of my all-time favorites, despite such a small recorded output of material.

Pylon made their bones in the Athens, GA, scene in the late 70's/early 80's, breaking up just before Athens became ground zero for the next wave of music. Without them, R.E.M. is not R.E.M. - the B-52's and Pylon shaped the scene, and the rest followed. And when they re-formed, R.E.M. returned the favor, putting them on as the opening act for the Green tour. After that tour, Pylon broke up again; their final re-formation came a few years ago (after a 15-year hiatus), when they played the occasional show here and there, and re-released Gyrate. I never saw them live, and wish I had.

Pylon's music has be described as danceable pop tunes with simplistic lyrics. But it was more than that: musically, their songs had a strong sense of urgency, and were brilliant in a simple, understated way. They knew how to write a pop song with a edge to it. And their music did not grow tired after repeated listens.

Randy Bewley's guitar was at the heart of their sound. His playing was laden with hooks -- deceptively simple, consistently smart, and always interesting. A lot of guitar players owe a lot to him. He's an underappreciated legend and a genius, and he will be missed forever.

Here is a much more thorough and well-written tribute, with videos to boot. Godspeed, Randy.

- Snilch

Quick Hits - The Winners List

In retrospect, I really should have posted the winners list first. Oh well.

In case you've missed all the "drama," here are the previous posts in this chain:

The Undecided List, Part 1
The Undecided List, Part 2
The Losers List

All in fun, of course! Your opinions may be different than mine -- which, I might add, you are all quick to point out. (Thanks for that.)

Without further ado:

• Against Me! - New Wave (2007). This goes against the grain for me in several ways. First it grabbed me lyrically and not musically first, which never happens -- that's just not the way I normally process music. Secondly, these guys are from what I like to refer to as "Generation Why Me," which I generally can't stand -- songs about clipping their nails and not getting their BMW, blah blah blah. But these guys don't have that attitude at all. From the first song ("New Wave"), they clearly establish their manifesto and ambition: "I am looking for the crest of a new wave/We can be the bands we want to hear/We can define our own generation/Is there anybody on the receiving end?" Wow.
  Example 2: "Up the Cuts" challenges everyone: the a.d.d. generation, the music and video industry, the government's crackdown on digital piracy, and even "all the punks still singing the same song."
  Example 3: "Thrash Unreal" is a story about a drug user: "No mother ever dreams that her daughter's going to grow up to be a junkie/No mother ever dreams her daughter's going to sleep alone."
  Example 4: "White People for Peace" points out how impractical musicians' contributions really are to an armed conflict: "Protest songs in response to military aggression/Protest songs to stop the soldier's gun."
  Example 5: "Americans Abroad" is an honest self-reflection of potential hypocrisy: ""While I think I'm not like them, I'm not so sure/...Wherever we go, Coca Cola's already been/...I just can't help but think that there's a comparison."
  I just cited lyrics from half the songs on the album. They're plain-spoken but eloquent. They are loud, questioning, and smart. These guys are the new punks. Musically, they are not unbelievable but very solid, and overall it's a great package. I was shocked to see this was their 5th album -- time to check the back catalog.
  Verdict: Car CD Changer. Be prepared, it's loud.

• The Automatic - Not Accepted Anywhere (2006). Another entrant from the "Why Me?"/"Whiney" generation. Better musically than Against Me!, but a little less deep on the lyrics. These guys have something going on that I can't put my finger on; but it makes me think they could create greatness. Lots of promise here, especially musically (both in arrangement and vocal tonality/harmonizing). It's nice poppy punk with odd lyrics... big song in Europe from this album was "Monster."
  Verdict: Portable CD Case. I really like this album too.

• Johnny Cash - Live at Folsom Prison (1968, re-released in 1999). After watching Walk the Line, I remembered that I always kind of liked Johnny Cash. And that I was probably ready to give him a try once again. I can’t complain about this one – this is about as good as you’ll get from a live album. I had never heard "25 Minutes to Go," which is incredibly tense and powerful.
  Verdict: Highly recommended. Portable CD Case.
  

• Enon - Grass Geysers...Carbon Clouds (2007). To be honest, after 2002's brilliant High Society, Enon was followed up with both an underwhelming collection of originals and an underwhelming collection of b-sides, at which point they definitely had graduated from the "must buy the next album" merch rating to "let's wait for a review, shall we?" Fortunately, this was reviewed well, and wow, it's really the proper follow-up to High Society. This group is so quirky that they are much better when they rein themselves in slightly. Plus I love their bass sound. Check out "Mr. Ratatatatat," my favorite song on the album, or "Dr. Freeze," or "Pigeneration." I think it's great.
  Verdict: Highly recommended. Car CD Changer.
  

• Charlotte Gainsbourg - 5:55 (2007). This is really superior -- even with this being a little more mellow than I prefer, it still worked in the car. Charlotte Gainsbourg tells stories. They're great, they're impactful, and every note sounds like it's precisely placed. I'll compare this to Cat Power's You Are Free -- yes, it's that good. This album is for everyone.
  Verdict: Totally fantastic. Car CD Changer album that I'll put into the Portable CD Case because it's a little laid back.

• Motörhead - Ace of Spades (1980, re-mastered version released in 2001).Yes, this is the second post to feature Motörhead. What has happened to me? Truth be told, these guys were so heavy they scared me as a kid. Now that I'm older... well, they still scare me. But you have to hand it to Lemmy and the boys -- this is a classic album. The songs? Legendary ("Ace of Spades"), down to earth ("[We Are] The Road Crew"), incomprehensible ("Love Me Like a Reptile"), creepy ("Jailbait"), and surprisingly introspective ("The Chase Is Better Than the Catch") all rolled up into one. It's all I'll ever need from these guys.
  Verdict: Hell yes recommended. Portable CD Case.

• N.WA. - Straight Outta Compton 20th Anniversary Edition (2007; original released in 1987). I had a pithy little post about this album, but then thought it was a good idea to edit the html for formatting. Bad idea -- I managed to lose everything. So I'm giving this review over to fate. Thus: this album is good, not worth getting if you have the original.
  Verdict: Recommended. Portable CD Case.

• Pylon - Gyrate Plus (2007, original version released in 1980). This is a re-issue that had to happen, but much like during their actual career, it's questionable whether anyone will notice. Notoriously the victims of bad timing, they folded in 1983 after two albums (Gyrate and Chomp), right before the Athens, GA, scene that they helped create blew up into the American rock Mecca it became. Then they got back together in 1990 for the phenomenally underrated Chain, breaking up again right before Grunge/Alternative broke. When Rolling Stone named R.E.M. "America's Best Band" in 1987, R.E.M. said the award actually belonged to Pylon -- four years after their breakup! Their stuff has been out of print for years, otherwise I'd recommend the desert island must-have Hits as your first intro. But this album is very good -- they even threw in their best song, "Cool" (previously available only as a single or on Hits), which is an all-time great song. Throw in an unreleased demo and two other single-only songs and you'll see why this band was way ahead of their time. One of my all-time favorite bands; you should check this out if you like R.E.M., the B-52's, or really any non-crappy music in general.
  Verdict: Recommended. Car CD Changer.
  

• Peter Searcy - Spark (2007). I know you've been waiting with bated breath since this post... and here is the exciting conclusion! Well, somewhat exciting. Since the great song "Losing Light Fast" in 2000, I've held in with Peter -- that album (Could You Please and Thank You) was okay, but you could hear that he had the potential to pull it all together into a great, confident album someday. And Spark is that album. The promise of CYPATY, the guitar chops and emotive lyrics of 2004's Couch Songs, and finally slightly too sweet poppiness of Trust Falls... this album takes the best of all of those efforts and rolls them into a great culmination of Peter at his best. This is pop gold, Jerry, gold!
  Verdict: Highly recommended. Portable CD Case.
  

• Superchunk - Here's Where the Strings Come In (1995). I'm playing Pandora Radio at work. Hey, I recognize that song! It's "Hyper Enough" by Superchunk. Yes, Denis tried to convince me this band was worth listening to, but I could never get into them. Then Pandora moves on to another song by a different group, then another... background noise for a half hour... hey! Another cool song! This is odd... it's also by Superchunk. "Silver Leaf and Snowy Tears". And also on Here's Where the String Come In. Huh. Back to background noise for an hour... Wow, this voice sounds familiar. There's no way... yup, the 3rd great song I've heard in two hours, and, yup, from Superchunk, and yup, from that same album -- this one is "Detroit Has a Skyline." I'm sold. Guess I needed a blind taste-test to hear what I was missing. The rest of the album doesn't disappoint either. Time to visit the back catalog!
  Verdict: Highly recommended. Car CD Changer.
  

• The Thermals - Insound Tour Support 2.0 (2007). I really got this b/c of the old Insound Tour Support series, which (although I ultimately got screwed on $ on it) had some great, unheard music. I actually like this better than More Parts Per Million, which Dan will likely have a cow over, but this collection of live tracks is just my speed, and captures these guys at their best -- live.
  Verdict: Recommended. Portable CD Case.

• Tool - Aenima (1996). I loved Tool's debut album, and really never found a reason that I had to go out and get any of their other albums. Through trial and error (and their declining radio airtime re-peaking my interest), this is my other favorite album by the band. It's got some great songs but overall is not as satisfying as their debut. Great to listen to in the car.
  Verdict: Portable CD Case.

- Snilch