Shop our Big Takeover store for back issues, t-shirts & CDs
Follow The Big Takeover
This two-disc reissue is a joy. On the first disc is the Portland psych-rockers’ debut album, i am the fun blame monster!, originally released in limited editions in 2003, but after it received glowing reviews, it introduced the band to the wider world. This first impression, all those years ago, was instantaneous joy. Starting with the wild “Cough Coughing,” which contains a groove that’s somewhat dance-rock, it then transitions into a mellow, sax-led song, “The Late Great Libido,” which doesn’t sound much like the band the track before. That’s pretty much how the record sounded then, and it sounds now—going from trippy, mellow, and tender slow songs, fast, upbeat pop songs, and a charm that is utterly undeniable. Though they do owe a debt to The Flaming Lips, it is not one that makes them imitators at all. The nine songs that made up the album cohesively form a bond into one strong artistic statement; the nine additional songs added here don’t take away from the album itself; they serve as a worthy compendium, without feeling superfluous. “Sepia” is perhaps the best of the bunch because it doesn’t sound like anything else on the record—hard, straight up acid rock that, kaleidoscopically, transforms into beautiful, somewhat baroque pop. Oh, and what makes this set even more worthy is the second disc—a DVD of early recordings, worth it for the appearance on the The Sista Social Show, where they’re charming and innocent and a little bit awkward—which only adds to the charm of their unique music. If you missed it the first time around, this reissue will handily show you what the fuss was about.
http://www.filmg.com
http://www.barsuk.com
http://www.menomena.com
