And then every once in a while you find a record that garners unfettered adoration from seemingly all corners. Going through the comments on Savage Republic's 4th LP (please don't make me type the title again), I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop - for someone to cry "overrated" or "pretentious" or "these guys have nothing musical to say that Rip, Rig and Panic or Residents haven't already covered." But nope, it seems this here record was universally adored. The closest we come to a negative comment is someone who loves it but wants it to be moved down in rotation so that he doesn't get sick of it. I wish I had some kind of medal to bestow upon Savage Republic for this achievement, but this blog post will have to suffice. Well done, sirs.
"This LP hits the mark! Suitable for home use. Too cool for words." "I love this!" "Love it." "I LOVE this! Some reminders of Ummagumma in some areas, good original rhythms in others." "Magnificent." "This band uses tension and dynamics as good if not better than Sonic Youth (at least on this disc). Very percussive but extremely well balanced so that all elements blend together for a very dynamic disc. I give the nod to side 1. Pink Floyd fans may wish to try 'Tabula Rasa.'" "A brilliant disc - controlled & vaguely exotic. Great even if you're not a Pink Floyd fan." "I love this LP. Please don't make me get sick of it! Down. [i.e., move it down in rotation]" "I agree!" |
Writing these pieces often causes me to reflect on how lucky I am to have grown up in a town with multiple college radio stations playing obscure, often difficult, music. It didn't hurt that it was also a town that produced brilliant bands such as Mission of Burma, Morphine, and today's subject, Bi…
