Suitcase 2: American Superdream Wow (disc 7) (2005)

Suitcase 2: American Superdream Wow 

(2005, Fading Captain Series)

For a proper introduction to Suitcase 2: American Superdream Wow check here, on Disc 5. 

Disc 7

A Proud and Booming Industy [Original Version]-  4 The real version APABI can be found on the debut GBV release, Devil Between My Toes,as a poorly recorded, third rate, downright frightening instrumental. This, however, is a light pop song with some jittery guitar lines interweaving with each other and gorgeous basement melodies.  Boy, those guys fucked up which one to put on their DEBUT!

Two or Three Songs-  3 Acoustic strums and plucks with single bass note hits. Inoffensive, melancholy, Mountain Goats-esque sounding composition with baritone Pollard vocals.

Little Games-  1 Recorded in 2005 and boy, it’s terrible.  Acoustic battering with inaudible drunk, broken harmonic wails.

Daughter of the Gold Rush-  2 Credited as a 2001 recording but definitely sounds older based on GBV track-record. A long, dark and moody jam that is the the original version of the eerie “Volcano Divers” off of Fast Japanese Spin Cycle EP, but 5 times the length.  

Color Coat Drawing- 4 Electric guitar with Pollard vocals cut. Great bare bones display of a reflective, rather sedate, yet uplifting song.

Learning to Burn- 1 Remember that scene in Carrie when she comes home from the prom covered in blood to find her house draped in candles? Well, this ‘81 recorded track would be a perfect substitute for the soundtrack, but will never be used, so whatever. Moody, and boring.

A Minute Before the Evil Street-  1 Dual vocals overlap, the snare drum hits are louder than the guitar plucking. One minute long. Yup.

I’d Choose You- 2  1984 recording that’s a mid-tempo, early ‘70s pop-rocker that’s actually pretty boring. Like many songs on this collection, seems as though it was a sketch of thing to come. But sketch or not, at nearly four minutes, it’s a tough road to walk. Has a kind of Sesame Street chorus to it, don’t it?  Seems to be a live recording from an early gig.

You’re Killing Me- 2  Beatles bluesy type acoustic demo that’s got a nice rhythmic skip in it!  Whoo ooh oh oh.  Black and blues, and demoed all over.

Old Friend-  1 Sullen and slow bass slides join ice cold guitar strums, while a depressed sounding Pollard moans melodically. Sounds like this would be a fitting song to listen to in the middle of a gray January for one to wallow in their seasonal depression.

She Don’t Shit (No Golden Bricks For Me)-  2 The coolest part of this haunting song is that it only plays out of the right speaker!  Incredibly lo-fi pre-GBV recording where Pollard actually kind of sings like Tobin Sprout.  Short and weird.

I Have a Hard Heart- 1  This is might be the worst thing ever! Pollard loses his mind on tape, and after the dust settled still thinks it’s okay for the public to hear it.

Shoddy Clothes-  3 Best line: “Run around with my ass hanging out for you."How’s that for poignancy? Sandbox era, slower, "why-baby-why?" bluesy rock kind of jam.  Strings along with confessional lyrics that manages to hold up among the mirth of Suitcase. Sounds like mid-’90s GBV, but with a total Abbey Road bluesy freak out ending.

Sordid Forst-   1 2011 recording. And that is really all you need to know about this heavy stringed, heavy hearted instrumental lifelessness. Skip.

Shake It Out- 3 Short and succinct live 1984 punk-pop recording.  Garaged-out as hell, and capped off with Pollard’s melodic, frantic lyrics. Interesting early sparkle in the muck.

Cowboy Zoo-  2 Pollard and an acoustic from ‘04! Early version of what would later become “Our Gaze” off of the Pollard solo record Coast to Coast....  Interesting to unearth, but just as awkwardly constructed as the final recording proved to be.

Soul Barn- 3 Schizo guitar leads open up the track into jagged verses that are filled with pop confusion and deconstruction!  Sounds crazy, don’t it?  Well, it’s a fairly rad, lo-fi tape-hiss ridden song.

Phase IV (Rise of the Ants)-  1 Pollard/Mitch Mitchell early 1980’s weirdness. Pretty much an Acid Ranch track. A barely audible silly anthem.  It’s nice to see 2 guys having fun once in a while.

Piece- 1 … of shit.  Too easy.  No, it’s actually a fairly mundane, sullen acoustic instrumental for a minute. But yeah, still kind of a piece of shit.

Lonely Town- 4  Summery indie jangle that’s incredibly catchy in a “Hey! This is probably another song I've heard before” kind of way. Uncharacteristically GBV, but AM pop radio for the radio of a different time. Fire up the BBQ and be sure to cut those cutoffs a little shorter.

Do Be- 2  Incredibly lo-fi, 1980 traditional sounding folk pop played on three chords.  First half comes out of the left speaker and then.... both!

Boston Spaceships-  1 Not only did Pollard’s future side project Boston Spaceships rework several Suitcase songs for their albums, they also took the name off these collections too. Too bad this song is absolutely terrible. Check out the band Boston Spaceships for much better results. Oh yeah, almost forgot. This song consists of a rickety bass line with steadily played, 1st grade level drums, and Pollard seemingly patting his open palm over his mouth.

Drugs and Eggs- 3 Acoustic guitar and vocals yet again. A solid Pollard harmony. Could’ve easily found a comfortable place on an early GBV EP.

That Ain’t No Good- 3  Early frame of what could prove to be a promising lo-fi, noisy garage pop song, that's ultimately buried in the dense files of GBV. Some potential here, but nothing flooring. Sounds like it was recorded live at a show.

Immediate Frozen Lookalikes-  1 Pollard picks strings for 43 seconds and sings on top of said random string plucks.