Suitcase: Failed Experiments and Trash Aircraft
(2000, Fading Captain Series)
For an intro to Suitcase: Failed Experiment and Trash Aircraft check on Disc 1.
Disc
4
Trying
to Make It Work Again-
2 Deeply
saddening, downward tailspin of a compact acoustic song. You
can see the steam coming off your breath while listening to this
track recorded in ‘81! But besides the cool history trip back to
the early '80s, this opener to Disc 4 is rather D.O.A.
Turbo
Boy- 1
Have you ever heard
those Billy Joel songs where he tries to get all angry and hard
rocking? It usually sounds forced and laughable? Yeah, this is
pretty much one of those forgettable songs.
Chain
Wallet Bitch- 1
Shambolic, snippet that
stumbles along like a drunk drum set trying to drive itself home.
Little
Head-
3
‘87
basement demo with electric guitar and vocals only. Not
terrible, but little to grasp onto with no real standout moments.
Could have been decent on Sandbox
with the full-band.
Why
Did You Land [Slow Version]-
3
Earlier
recording of what would end up on The
Official Ironman Rally Song
7’’ years later. Rickety and sad, and kind of hauntingly
beautiful if you give it the time.
Time
Machines [Different Version]-
3
Would
later wind up as a classic opening song on Pollard’s side project
Lexo and the Leapers' Ask
Them.
This version is much different. Basically this adaptation only
incorporates the verse of the “released” version as a bridge over
staccato, harder chords. Hypnotic vocals are pretty cool, though.
A
Farewell to Arms-
The second Hazzard Hotrods song on the Suitcase
box-set,
that would later wind-up on the Big
Trouble LP.
You can read the review there.
Best
Things Goin’ Round- 2
Acoustic guitar and
vocal recording from ‘83. Unmemorable 1 minute lament.
Sickly
Sweet- 1
Contender for one of the
worst tracks on Suitcase
if not all of GBV
released material. Pummeling rock noise and bullshit distorted
lyrics.
United-
3 Electric
guitar and pretty melodies created by dual recorded Pollard vocals.
Enjoyable sketch of a song that could have fit nicely if
rerecorded on a Matador Records EP.
Unshaven
Bird [Original Version]-
1
Later
appeared on the Boston Spaceships LP Our
Cubehouse Still Rocks.
This version is pretty short, and pretty useless.
Black
Ghost Pie-
3
‘95
recording of a short, fast tempo, poppy garage banger. Lacks the big
hook to make it memorable or passable for
Alien
Lanes
era recordings.
Go
For the Answers-
3
Basically
the same song of what would become “Go for the Exit” on Boston
Spaceships Brown
Submarine
LP. Here it's not the great closing track it is on there, but the
acoustic/vocal sketch still bares the same great melodic flow and
unpredictable chord pattern and remains highly enjoyable.
Rocking
Now-
3
4
chord rendition of what would later become the over-produced, and
downright pretty “Wrecking Now” off Do
the Collapse.
The chorus is still pretty great, sung over lo-fi punk buzzing.
Excellent
Things- 2
Fairly forgettable rough
sketch of a song that is mildly saved by it’s slide, noodling
guitar part at the end.
Static
Airplane Jive- 1
No relation to the
enjoyable early ‘90s EP. This is one revereb riddled short,
hot mess where one moody chord is struck and Pollard scats
bullshit over it.
Where
I Come From- 3
‘80s college rock jangle over mid-tempo beat, and airy vocals.
Simple harmonies fill out the chorus. One of the best song on disc 4
of Suitcase
but lacks what it takes to make it stick out in the pantheon in any
form.
Try
to Find You-
4 Live
recording from ‘84 is the only appearance of said song. Mid-tempo,
poppy recording that should have appeared on another recording. The
intoxicated audience members
in
the back are a welcome addition.
Deaf
Ears [Different Version]-
1
Would
also later wind-up on the GVB The
Official Ironmen Rally Song
7’’ down the line. But here, deaf ears sound like a welcome
addition and also your best way to get through this dreck.
Good
For a Few Laughs-1
Terrible. Random
cymbal hits and kick drum hits courtesy of Jim Pollard while Pollard
drunkenly whines.
Raphael-
3 Punk-pop
acoustic slides on a simple song that’s undeniably catchy with no
real twists. One point has been deducted for the overly repetitive,
and kind of overly annoying "Raphael" pronunciation.
My
Feet’s Trustyworthy Experience-
3 Acoustic
and vocals with a couple of great vocal hooks over otherwise
unremarkable guitar chord strums. Slyly somber.
Eggs-
1 Variation
on the GBV song “The Future Is In Eggs.” Instrumental and highly
grating. Especially if you've been able to sit through almost 4 CDs
of this stuff.
Wondering
Boy Poet [Piano Version]-
2
Yup,
the piano version of the same song that appears on GBV’s Vampire
on Titus.
Sounds like an Elton John unused verse. I’ll take the
rougher LP version with Sprout vocals any day.
Oh,
Blinky!-
4 Roughly
recorded, punk song with fractured noodling over it. Strong,
messy closer to a, but very messy collection with its few and far
between strengths
Why Did you Land's my favorite song on this c.d. I prefer this version to the one on the single.
ReplyDelete'Try To Find You' main refrain can be found in the bridge/coda of 'Storm Vibrations.'
ReplyDeleteThank you for the good words and thanks for reading! Also, changed the title. Good call. And yes, I will revisit. As time's passed, I definitely feel different about some of these songs! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteis "my feet's trustworthy experience" a distant cousin of "real"? from the wish in one hand/shit in the other ep?
ReplyDelete