Suitcase 2: American Superdream Wow
(2005, Fading Captain Series)
Five year removed from the first batch of 100 previously unreleased songs, Pollard unleashed his second wallop of leftovers, curious sketches, binge-bang basement trash, and blatant trashed doodads. Yes! It's Suitcase 2.
Like Suitcase: Failed Experiments and Trashed Aircraft, this collection features 100 additional tracks from the aforementioned "failed experiments." While the original Suitcase presented the listener with a torrid task, Suitcase 2 ups the ante. Not only is there 100 MORE unreleased songs from the early '80s to present day (2005), the quality has significantly diminished from the original Suitcase collection. The full band tracks are included, along with an endless swill of solo demos. But the abundance of extended mumbling, incomplete vocals, and noises that don't stray to far from the description of drunken gargling shuffle to the side of a quantity over quality contest. Simply put, Suitcase 2 is a tough one to trudge through. Be prepared.
Of course, the collection is not without its truly bright spots, and welcome surprises. However, the work involved for the listener seems doubled this time around. Like its predecessor, a condensed version of this Suitcase was released as Briefcase 2: (Suitcase 2- The Return of Milko Waif). Unlike its predecessor, it contains 2 unreleased tracks! Dammit, Pollard. You win again.
As with the first Suitcase, this "Son of Suitcase" features an overload of material to ignite only the nerdiest of fandom for Pollard; assigning fake band names to each track (sans Acid Ranch labeled track). Surpassing the last box set, Pollard even included a dozen or so faux LP and 7'' cover art for said bogus band monikers. It's still a fun and welcomed site to any true Pollard fan, however, a nightmare when loading the discs into your computer. Get ready to have 100 new non-bands on your computer's playlists.......!
The Ream- 1 Tape his and plodding bass plucks act as the absolute worts intro to pheraps anything ever in history. sounds similar to leaving a tape recorder out in a mildly haunted house, and actually getting some results on it.
Rocket Head- 2 Early version of "Teenage FBI" is great for historical purposes if you're taking the time to weed through everything. However, this version is straight up weird, disjointed, and only leave you longing to listen to the actual recording(s) of "Teenage FBI."
The Golden Pickle- 1 Extremely lo-fi acoustic strumming and a drunken duo of howls. Out of tune and off-time to the hilt. 29 seconds of bullshit. Also, it's called "The Golden Pickle."
Your Charming Proposal- 3 The indie rock jangle element carries this mid-tempo breezy song, while overly saturated reverb vocal fight against it. Decent 1 minute track that sounds downright CLASSIC compared to the first 3 unearthed (brown) nuggets that precede it.
Searing Tonight- 1 I once had a friend with a drunk father who owned a tape recorder, a two stringed guitar, and had a voice... as the story goes.
Somewhere Tonight- 2 Supposedly recorded in 1978! If this is true, this is one early track! Which, again, for historical purposes is great. For an actual song on it's own, this track is third rate '70s stoner blues rock that sounds half-assed and phoned in. Mediocre garage demo made on a any given Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, you don't need to hear it.
If You Think It's Easy- 1 Acoustic drivel served in one minute.
His Spacetruck is Strange- 1 Fuzz, warped lo-fi guitar with inaudible stream of bullchunks vocals, featuring the help of psycho-noise maker Jimmy Pollard.
Tin Can Laughter- 3 Decent acoustic demo that's both raw and person in a great way. Not much in the way of groundbreaking hooks, but is a fun find in the rough of this collection.
Sacred Space- 2 What would later become "Office of Hearts" off of Under the Bushes Under the Stars, appears as an early demo, varied and not nearly as listenable. Historical fascination piques the freaks here.
Soul Flyer- 3 Pounding mid-tempo, mid '80s song that sounds like a Self-Inflicted Ariel Nostalgia leftover. Actually, it was left off the aborted Learning to Hunt LP. In the midst of this particular collection, it's worth a nod.
Gods of Richard- 1 Uninteresting and unmemorable electric guitar instrumental goes on for a minute and a half.
It's Only Up to You- 3 This pretty, swirling acoustic/electric plucker is both sullenly melodic and resistant in hopefulness. Almost triumphant, but never breaks through.
Dancing With the Answers- 3 At its core, this is the sketch for the best song off the bonus EP included with '96s Under the Bushes Under the Stars, "Big Boring Wedding." This versions pretty damn catchy, although wallows in the muddled realms of weirdness. Worth the time as song, and for its opportunity at historical comparisons purposes. The outro reminiscent of '70s corporate rock is worth visiting.
Waiting For Your Touch- 2 Downright chilling, sparse acoustic number, in a bad way. Sounds like it was recorded in a pantry closet on the eve of a suicide by someone with a thick British accent.
Soggy Beavers [Original Version]- 2 Unfortunately, this would be rehashed by Pollard's Boston Spaceships as a long song off Brown Submarine several years later. Here's it more innocent, but still not worth the time. And it's still and will always be called "Soggy Beavers."
Invisible Train to Earth- 3 Outtake from Isolation Drills. A repetitive '70s butt-rock, arena rocker of the near hi-fi quality. Doug Gillard guitar riff basically caries the whole song over a so-so Pollard melody.
Stingy Queens- 4 Pollard and acoustic guitar track that's a half-mumbled sketch of a song that has tons of potential. Similar sounding to "Mesh Gear Fox," although this says it was recorded in '96? I would have loved to heard this fleshed out later. Promising demo with potential.
Something for Susan in the Shadows- 4 4/6 whimsical beat played with brittle jangle and buried vocals. Bound to get stuck in your head, and that's more than fine. It's a downright killer song that sounds as if it's being blasted out of a broken stereo speaker. Hidden gem recorded in '85!
Sinister Infared Halo- 2 If this were labeled as a Nightwalker song, rather than a GBV track I'd have understood. But at this point, does it matter? It's still acoustic drivel with Pete Jamison (proclaimed "manager for life" of GBV), applied sound effects that sound of desolate campfires and post-apocalyptic nonsense.\
Happy at the Drag Strip- 2 Surreal, wizardry beat-poetry read over thin acoustic guitar line. Recorded in the '80s. Rather forgettable.
Arms- 2 Outtake from Self-Inflicted Areal Nostalgia. Acid-rock guitar swirls about over banging toms, snare hits, and percussive shakers. Ehhhhh.
Solid Gold Animal Collection- 3 Acoustic song recorded in '83 is comparable to "Melted Pat" off the Get out of My Stations EP, but not the same track.
Beach Towers- 3 Slow tempoed, grungy plodding with streamlined lyrical nonsense. Surreal slow burner that just stoned enough to earn its worth.
Cosmic Clown- 1 1978 recording? Well, even it it is, it's still just creepy bullshit that's best use is sitting alone at the end of a disc.
Disc 5
The Ream- 1 Tape his and plodding bass plucks act as the absolute worts intro to pheraps anything ever in history. sounds similar to leaving a tape recorder out in a mildly haunted house, and actually getting some results on it.
Rocket Head- 2 Early version of "Teenage FBI" is great for historical purposes if you're taking the time to weed through everything. However, this version is straight up weird, disjointed, and only leave you longing to listen to the actual recording(s) of "Teenage FBI."
The Golden Pickle- 1 Extremely lo-fi acoustic strumming and a drunken duo of howls. Out of tune and off-time to the hilt. 29 seconds of bullshit. Also, it's called "The Golden Pickle."
Your Charming Proposal- 3 The indie rock jangle element carries this mid-tempo breezy song, while overly saturated reverb vocal fight against it. Decent 1 minute track that sounds downright CLASSIC compared to the first 3 unearthed (brown) nuggets that precede it.
Searing Tonight- 1 I once had a friend with a drunk father who owned a tape recorder, a two stringed guitar, and had a voice... as the story goes.
Somewhere Tonight- 2 Supposedly recorded in 1978! If this is true, this is one early track! Which, again, for historical purposes is great. For an actual song on it's own, this track is third rate '70s stoner blues rock that sounds half-assed and phoned in. Mediocre garage demo made on a any given Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, you don't need to hear it.
If You Think It's Easy- 1 Acoustic drivel served in one minute.
His Spacetruck is Strange- 1 Fuzz, warped lo-fi guitar with inaudible stream of bullchunks vocals, featuring the help of psycho-noise maker Jimmy Pollard.
Tin Can Laughter- 3 Decent acoustic demo that's both raw and person in a great way. Not much in the way of groundbreaking hooks, but is a fun find in the rough of this collection.
Sacred Space- 2 What would later become "Office of Hearts" off of Under the Bushes Under the Stars, appears as an early demo, varied and not nearly as listenable. Historical fascination piques the freaks here.
Soul Flyer- 3 Pounding mid-tempo, mid '80s song that sounds like a Self-Inflicted Ariel Nostalgia leftover. Actually, it was left off the aborted Learning to Hunt LP. In the midst of this particular collection, it's worth a nod.
Gods of Richard- 1 Uninteresting and unmemorable electric guitar instrumental goes on for a minute and a half.
It's Only Up to You- 3 This pretty, swirling acoustic/electric plucker is both sullenly melodic and resistant in hopefulness. Almost triumphant, but never breaks through.
Dancing With the Answers- 3 At its core, this is the sketch for the best song off the bonus EP included with '96s Under the Bushes Under the Stars, "Big Boring Wedding." This versions pretty damn catchy, although wallows in the muddled realms of weirdness. Worth the time as song, and for its opportunity at historical comparisons purposes. The outro reminiscent of '70s corporate rock is worth visiting.
Waiting For Your Touch- 2 Downright chilling, sparse acoustic number, in a bad way. Sounds like it was recorded in a pantry closet on the eve of a suicide by someone with a thick British accent.
Soggy Beavers [Original Version]- 2 Unfortunately, this would be rehashed by Pollard's Boston Spaceships as a long song off Brown Submarine several years later. Here's it more innocent, but still not worth the time. And it's still and will always be called "Soggy Beavers."
Invisible Train to Earth- 3 Outtake from Isolation Drills. A repetitive '70s butt-rock, arena rocker of the near hi-fi quality. Doug Gillard guitar riff basically caries the whole song over a so-so Pollard melody.
Stingy Queens- 4 Pollard and acoustic guitar track that's a half-mumbled sketch of a song that has tons of potential. Similar sounding to "Mesh Gear Fox," although this says it was recorded in '96? I would have loved to heard this fleshed out later. Promising demo with potential.
Something for Susan in the Shadows- 4 4/6 whimsical beat played with brittle jangle and buried vocals. Bound to get stuck in your head, and that's more than fine. It's a downright killer song that sounds as if it's being blasted out of a broken stereo speaker. Hidden gem recorded in '85!
Sinister Infared Halo- 2 If this were labeled as a Nightwalker song, rather than a GBV track I'd have understood. But at this point, does it matter? It's still acoustic drivel with Pete Jamison (proclaimed "manager for life" of GBV), applied sound effects that sound of desolate campfires and post-apocalyptic nonsense.\
Happy at the Drag Strip- 2 Surreal, wizardry beat-poetry read over thin acoustic guitar line. Recorded in the '80s. Rather forgettable.
Arms- 2 Outtake from Self-Inflicted Areal Nostalgia. Acid-rock guitar swirls about over banging toms, snare hits, and percussive shakers. Ehhhhh.
Solid Gold Animal Collection- 3 Acoustic song recorded in '83 is comparable to "Melted Pat" off the Get out of My Stations EP, but not the same track.
Beach Towers- 3 Slow tempoed, grungy plodding with streamlined lyrical nonsense. Surreal slow burner that just stoned enough to earn its worth.
Cosmic Clown- 1 1978 recording? Well, even it it is, it's still just creepy bullshit that's best use is sitting alone at the end of a disc.
Something for Susan in the Shadows turned into Dr. Feelgood Falls Off the Ocean from August By Cake!! Great song.
ReplyDelete