Last night I witnessed my fourth incarnation of RENT. One of the benefits of having a girlfriend who is involved in the theatrical arts is that I’ve become cultured in areas beyond totally obscure forgotten records and really, really bad movies. My mom would drag me to Broadway shows probably once a year when I was growing up, but I think I’ve spent more time in theaters in these two years with Nicci (or watching her) than I had in the previous 26 years of my life combined (side note: Mama Mia! sucked, mom).

I’ve reviewed two (Pantages 2009, RMTC 2009) of the previous performances of RENT I’ve seen, so there is no reason to rehash the musical’s entire storyline again. I’ll try to sum it up as quickly as possible even though it’s an injustice. The story follows the lives of a group of friends in New York’s East Village for one year, while they deal with love, loss, AIDS, addiction and the frustrations of modern day life.

The show opened at the beautiful Lewis Family Playhouse in Rancho Cucamonga last night. I was about as nervous before the show, pacing around and sweating and hyperventilating like a complete loser. There was a mixture of that and anticipation for seeing Nicci reprise the role she played in Alabama a few months ago (see: RMTC, 2009 review above). Ken and Katie showed up to lend their support as well, and once they arrived I think I started to calm down. The spacious foyer of the Playhouse showcases its unique architectural design. The 560-seat theater houses a large stage, many times the size of the  basement theater’s stage in Alabama. The set design looked very close to that of the 2009 National tour. I could not tell if the room was sold out, as I had no view of the 2nd level seats, but it appeared close to capacity.

As for the production, you can’t ask much more from an opening night. Director Ron Kellum — who also directed in Alabama  — once again worked his magic, molding the cast into a beautiful and cohesive unit. The choreography was stellar. It was fun to see the entire stage put to use. My eyes constantly darted back and forth, up and down as they followed the action. The large space never felt too big. The lights were impeccable, and the band was strong throughout the show. The drummer/conductor Dave (who I had the pleasure of meeting after the show; we bonded over our mutual aversions towards white foods!) displayed amazing dynamic skill, especially with his symbols. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a drummer conduct before, so that was cool to watch as well.

And the actors…they were wonderful. This being opening night, I was not sure what to expect. The entire rehearsal schedule lasted less than one month (I think they started February 7th and opened March 5th?), but everything came together rather flawlessly. There were a few “pitchy” moments during the show’s opening songs, but the cast grew stronger as the show progressed. “Will I” is a song I often look forward to, and the color of the voices in this cast when they sing together — be it in “Will I” or “Seasons Of Love” — was phenomenal. I was hoping “Will I” would be extended, because by the time the last singers take the stage you really only hear the entire company sing half of one round. Still, it was stunning. Nicci’s friends from Alabama, Dylan (who played the role of Mark), Casey (Roger) and Ben (Angel) were wonderful, as they too were reprising their roles as three of the principal characters. Adriana, who played Maureen, stood out as well. I’ve seen people play that role and try to over-sexualize it, but I liked how she played up the ironic comedic value of the pretentious performance artist. Loren as Tom Collins brought a new voice to a favorite character of mine. Slightly more tenor than the deep baritone, he flat-out killed his “I’ll Cover You (Reprise)” solo. Ben’s voice during “Contact” was the best I’ve heard from him, and well…Nicci was unbelievable. I really was at a loss for words watching her. There was no doubt in my mind they would receive a warm and loud standing ovation at the conclusion of the show, and they absolutely deserved it.

Afterwards there was a small reception for cast, crew and friends held at the Playhouse. It was great to meet the people I’ve been hearing about for the past month as well as catch up with the people involved with the Alabama show. Watching everybody interact off stage made it clear how close everybody is and how much they care for each other. What RENT boils down to is a story about unconditional love, and everyone involved in this show not only understands that, they live it. I met a lot of new people last night who were all super-nice to me. I even got to impart some advice to a cast-member’s boyfriend who was experiencing his girlfriend going through the production process for the first time. Lots of red wine was consumed. Explicit drawings may or may not have appeared on makeshift duct-taped tablecloths. I look forward to seeing the show again next Friday with…my mother. It’ll be interesting to hear how she reacts to the show. I know she saw the original production, but she’s an all-around East-Coast-livin’, Broadway-lovin’, hold-nothing-back Jewish mother, so it’ll be fun to hear her take. If I slip the costume designer twenty bucks, do you think she can add some extra material to Nicci’s costumes? Mom’s gonna see a lot more of my girlfriend’s body than she needs to see…

Hey, go see RENT at the Lewis Family Playhouse in Rancho Cucamonga! There are only five performances left: Saturday the 6th, Sunday the 7th, Friday the 12th, Saturday the 13th and Sunday the 14th. Sunday matinees at 2:00pm, all other performances at 7:30pm. Ticket information can be found at the theater’s website (see: link above). I also heard a rumor about discounted tickets if you become a “fan” of the “Broadway At The Gardens: Lewis Family Playhouse” on Facebook. You can also see plenty of photos and promo videos there. *The more you know!*

Technorati Tags: Lewis Family Playhouse, Rancho Cucamonga, RENT

I’m taking to the Internet to talk about this movie because no one wants to enter into debate about it with me in the real world. And by “the real world” I mean the fake version of the MTV reality show in which we all exist. Apparently whenever I don’t like a movie or band I’m being a contrarian, or a hater, or I’m arguing for the sake of argument. My outspoken criticism has garnered increasingly negative reactions from friends. As far as they are concerned, I can’t genuinely dislike something; I am just playing an angle. Like this stupid movie (500) Days Of Summer. Or, as I just started referring to it, Garden State 2 (Days Of Summer). I thought the movie sucked. Like Garden State before it, it was a pretentious, overly-stylized, mope-rock wet dream. It failed on pretty much every conceivable cinematic level. Then again, what was the last romantic comedy that succeeded, Annie Hall? When Harry Met Sally? It doesn’t matter, let’s just assume there have been some decent films in the classification to which (500) Days Of Summer belongs. This film, most definitely, is not one of them.

At the beginning of the film we meet Tom, a (gasp!) Garden State transplant currently living in Los Angeles. The film’s narrator — who is in need of being throttled by the time the damned credits roll — states that Tom is the kind of guy who grew up listening to The Smiths and believes “The One” is out there, waiting to be found. Never mention The Smiths. Same goes for cringeworthy statements the ideas of fate, soulmates, or “The One”. Tom’s got two idiot friends and a precocious kid sister who knows more about relationships than he does. Talk about an absurd, unrealistic plot element! Thanks kid sister, for calling a guy fifteen years your senior a pussy, and for teaching him about the male female paradigm. That happens in real life all the time. Tom falls in love with a girl named Summer (gag) at work (stupid idea), and she’s played by that annoying Zooey girl who dates the fat guy from Death Cab For Cutie. I can’t look at her without imagining his Frank’s Hot Sauce-stained mouth straining to emit that harsh caterwaul of his while he chops at an electric guitar with outstretched arms as it teeters to-and-fro against his disgusting gut. She’s a terrible actress, too. Does she ever not play a mumbling, flighty, “indie” chick?

Because the story couldn’t possibly keep an audience interested for 90 minutes if the relationship was presented in a straightforward manner, the (not) genius director decided to use the nonlinear technique of randomly flashing forward and backward through time. Kind of like a dumbed-down Memento. It doesn’t work. It’s annoying. Pulp Fiction worked. This movie makes Rules Of Attraction look Oscar-worthy. And the mawkishness! Isn’t it just so cute how they go shopping at IKEA and she serves him fake dinner in a fake kitchen? Isn’t it adorable how they sing karaoke (by the way, is there a mandatory singing clause in all of Zooey’s contracts? Please stop singing)? Isn’t the soundtrack just awesome? No, it’s not. The whole movie is bad dialog, some action and a dozen too many montages juxtaposed to the director’s or screenwriter’s current favorite iTunes playlist. Does the Tom character really have to sing The Pixies on karaoke night, or wear Joy Division t-shirts? If this film does anything correctly, it panders to its audience. The kids who still listen to The Pixies or wear Joy Division shirts probably ate this movie up.

Tom…Tom, Tom, Tom. Stupid LA-transplant manchild with his maudlin existence and his penchant for cliche bad relationship-induced alcoholism. What a  contrived character. I see Tom everywhere I go in the Tri-Hoodie Area (Los Feliz, Silverlake, Echo Park). I see Tom at Ralph’s. I see Tom at the Burrito King. I see Tom at Spaceland. He always looks and acts the same. Fashionable, capable, but dull. Monotone. I know: Like Zach Braff in Garden State! Once Tom meets a girl (”The One”) everything changes. He becomes happy, and goofy, and wow, he’s got this new female figure in his life and they can listen to cool music together and enjoy the horribleness of IKEA together because…they’re together. She’s his. He’s hers. Only, not. Because she won’t let him “in,” if you know what I mean. Not her pussy — she’ll let him in there without putting up a fight. I mean her heart. Or her mind. One of those. Zooey spells it out to this “Tom” guy from the start that she’s not looking for a relationship, but that persistent little bugger keeps right on bugging her as if he didn’t hear. Then he keeps acting shocked — shocked! — when she repeats her intentions. “But…but…we’re SLEEPING TOGETHER! How come we’re not a couple!” He says. “Because we’re not,” she responds, flippantly. Oh, hipster kids. Even their relationships make me want to hurl.

FLASH BACKWARD. They’re in bed together, giggling. She tells him about a dream of hers (doesn’t she know anything? never talk about dreams!). She blushes. She’s never told that to anyone before. Cue the narrator telling us her “wall” is coming down. Thanks, narrator! You’re stupid! I can see and hear that! I don’t need you to tell me what I’m seeing. You’re why Arrested Development was funny! Ron Howard mocked you!

FLASH FORWARD. Tom is moping. Again. Dude, didn’t you read my list of the top ten best ways to get over her? You’re blowing it, man. You should be ashamed of yourself, you forlorn piece of shit. BE THE KING. You can do it, it’s not hard. I’ve done it, and I probably started out hating myself way more than you did. Then again…you listen to The Smiths. Don’t you want this movie to be resolved? I know I do. Get out of bed, put down the Twinkies (really?) and go out with your boys to chase some tail. Do that a few nights in a row and you’ll forget all about mumbles the harpy.

Here’s where the crux of my argument presents itself: there’s absolutely no reason for 85% of this movie to occur. Put aside the fact that I — as a moviegoer — am supposed to like the main character when he’s such a cloying dolt. He fucked himself over by not paying attention to any of the numerous hints he was given by the girl he desired. You can’t even really call them hints because she did everything short of yanking his dick off and putting it in a blender while singing, “I don’t like you!” over and over again like a deranged schoolgirl. Her messages to him were laid out so perfectly clear, so coherently, that a man with moderate to severe learning disabilities could have gotten the idea. Tom just keeps asking the questions, over and over, “What are we?” “What is this?” “Where is this going?” And Zooey just hits it so hard. Each time. “Nowhere.” “Nothing.” “Nowhere.” And it bounces off his thick head like the retard with the helmet who gets pegged with a dodgeball in gym class. I’m supposed to become invested in this story? I’m supposed to watch Tom’s decent into depression and cheer for him, or worry if things are going to be alright? No! I’m most likely going to sit in my seat and resist the urge to claw my eyes out in the hopes that he will get his shit together and do something not cliche for a change.

So sit in my seat I did, and claw my eyes out I dreamed to. For fuck’s sake man. Jesus. Just…stop. End the movie. Zooey and Tom’s relationship somehow ends. Then she turns around and marries the next guy who comes along. “I don’t know, it just felt right.” I’m paraphrasing. Instead of looking at her confusedly and saying, “You’re fucking psychotic! What the hell did I ever see you, you irrational bitch?” Tom gets mopey and says, “Why not me! WHY! WHYYYYY!?” and then pulls a knife out of his John Varvatos leather jacket and slits his throat and dies in her lap, bleeding all over her fancy new wedding ring. At least, that’s how my movie ends.

But not this movie. Not (500) Hours Of Boredom. For a movie bursting at the seams with terribleness (unrealistic plot elements, unlikable characters, hackneyed and erratic storytelling, a useless narrator, kitch, hip and “indie”ness galore) This movie has one of the worst endings imaginable. Tom has lost Summer. Or is losing her. It depends on which flash forward/backward you’re starting from. Then someone tells him he’s only remembering the good things, but not the bad things. It’s probably his 10 year old sister, full of life experiences as she is, FOR NO APPARENT REASON. So we see a montage of moments with Zooey that Tom should have picked up on but didn’t, because he was smitten. Something about a Ringo Starr record. Suddenly he realizes what he should have realized then: it was never meant to be. Conclusion, right? WRONG! WRONG WRONG WRONG! Not this movie. That ending would have been too simple, too smart, too believable. It would have made sense. Instead, the movie continues. Why? Because now Tom wants to pursue architecture again? Uh…okay! Cue another montage! While the credits should be rolling, Tom is now learning about architecture and drawing cityscapes on the giant chalkboard in his apartment. So apparently the movie isn’t satisfied with being about, you know, resolving issues and moving forward with one’s life. It doesn’t want to see it’s protagonist (who really acts more like an antagonist in that he makes me hostile) close the book on a bad relationship, which is…you know…the entire plot of the movie to this point. Instead it has decided it wants to see him become an architect now. Okay, whatever. Wait, nevermind. Not whatever. Dumb. This is insanely dumb. In the next scene, which occurs when I should be leaving the theater and throwing out my leftover popcorn, Tom meets a new girl. That’s not cliche. Nope, not at all. Then the fucking narrator speaks up again to basically recap the entire movie for us, because it hadn’t been perpetually recapped during the 80 minutes that followed Zooey first telling Tom that she didn’t want a relationship with him. And then, just before the credits roll, the narrator says Tom might not have learned anything new, but he’s “pretty sure” he learned something. Oh, and the girl he meets during the final scene is named Autumn. SCRIPT FAIL. MOVIE FAIL.

And that’s the first and last time I’ll ever use the “FAIL” meme in a blog entry!

Back in March I listed the ten best “outsider” records I was then-currently enjoying. One of them was called Great Fences Of Australia. Two violinists, Jon Rose and Hollis Taylor, wandered the Australian outback and bowed various fences — of which there thousands — which run endlessly in all directions. The string musicians playing fences create huge epic drones that at times are so shrill they sound like insane ray guns. The whole spectrum of sound is unreal — crazy harmonics that sound like throat singing.

Last week I was searching the web for who the hell knows what, and I came across a documentary detailing the great fences of Australia, the violinists who play them, and the lives and histories of the people who build, look after or use the fences. As soon as I saw the first shot of Jon Rose clad in a bee mask, utilizing two bows to create an amazing series of sounds, I was hooked. In less than a minute, we are shown how the fences can act as resonators, triggers, and the largest fucking stringed instruments you’ve ever seen. And there’s still about 75 minutes of film left!

There isn’t much (if any) dialog. The entire continent of Australia is responsible for the sounds you hear throughout the documentary. It’s remarkable and trance-inducing. I kinda zoned out a few times throughout the course of watching the film, but I take that to be a good thing. At least there’s a consistent point to the thing. Not like the other night, when I watched Project Grizzly and after 72 minutes of exposition absolutely nothing happened. That was bullshit. Great Fences of Australia doesn’t need to describe anything in great depth to make its point, the sounds are all there for you to experience.

There really isn’t much else I can say about the documentary. Most of it is beautiful scenes from the outback, and footage of the pair bowing various fences. Two of the most recognizable ones to natives are the “Dog Fence” and “Rabbit-Proof Fence.” I’m not a native, so I have no idea about why they are well-known. Maybe it’s because they’re really long? I don’t know.

That said, you can read more about Jon Rose and the fences project by visiting his official website, and you can download the movie in its entirety by clicking here. Note: the film is hosted on a personal website; that link does not go to a file delivery service.

Jon Rose & Hollis Taylor – Electric Fence (from the album Great Fences Of Australia)

I’m trying, I’m really trying to be a more well-rounded person. This includes things like going to the theater with my girlfriend on a Wednesday night instead of getting drunk at local Mexican restaurants and stumbling home with a belly full of tequila and free (read: foul) tacos. One of her favorite plays is winding down its twelve-day run in Orange County this weekend. It’s called Spring Awakening. It ran on Broadway from December of 2006 until January of 2009, and has been touring nationally since.

Copying from Wikipedia, the story is set in late-nineteenth century Germany, and concerns teenagers who are discovering the inner and outer tumult of sexuality.

Having someone talk-up a production so much usually leads me to be disappointed by the resultant viewing experience. So, I kind of ignored Nicci as she tried to play me a YouTube clip of the original cast. That said, I really enjoyed the show.

Musically, the play was one of the best I have heard. The songs were composed and arranged by Duncan Sheik (who is most-definitely not the kind of songwriter I enjoy), so it’s not presented in your typical Elton John or Rodgers and Hammerstein style. There were a lot of fun, upbeat rock numbers, which were tempered by a series of soft and somber tunes. The melodies (with the exception of one or two numbers, such as “Whispering” in Act 2) were all enjoyable. They played with dissonance a lot, which I like. A number of cast members had very strong voices (Ilse, Moritz, whoever the youngest girl was). The male lead’s voice was a tad nasal and breathy but it still worked.

Visually…well, it’s not a huge production like Wicked so there aren’t elaborate sets, but the rustic, stripped-down design worked well. A few audience members were actually seated on the stage to fill-in for what were supposed to be the actors’ peers.  The actors and all the ensemble members were peppered amongst the audience when they were not at center stage.

Although I quickly learned that it was intentional, I was confused and slightly perturbed by the use of microphone stands and wireless microphones by the cast during musical numbers. It asked the crowd to view the show more like a concert than theater. As modern and fresh an idea as it is, it was a hard adjustment to make. That said, it’s definitely something I haven’t seen in a production before, so the artistic director deserves credit for that.

Other than that, the only disappointment was that the sound in the room was a bit off at times, and multiple characters singing simultaneously were drowning one another out into a kind of pretty (but unintelligible) mush of song.

Because my frame of reference is so small, the only way for me to approach the second act of the show is to compare it to a heavy modern theater piece like Rent. I thought that in Spring Awakening the comedy relief scene was too overt. Nicci asserts that you need lighter moments to break the tension sometimes. I feel like if the intention is to attack heavy issues, you just have to go for it and hit them as hard as you can, even if it turns out morbid and everybody leaves feeling terrible. Then again, Nicci knows way more than I do about musical theater so she’s probably right.

There’s not much else I can say about Spring Awakening. I liked it! That’s three plays in a row I’ve seen that I enjoyed. After growing up a few miles from Broadway and being subjected to stuff like Cats, Chicago, Mama Mia and Beauty And The Beast, it’s nice to know that there are productions out there that won’t leave me feeling like a 60-year-old Jewish woman.

Also, there’s a boob involved.

I don’t think it is necessary for me to laud my hero, Leonard Cohen, any more than I already have on this website. As a singer-songwriter, a poet, and a novelist he is in a class all his own. His first three studio albums are as flawless as they are unparalleled. I dare you to find a songwriter whose first three albums are crafted as well as Cohen’s. It is impossible. Songs Of Leonard Cohen, Songs From A Room and Songs Of Love And Hate contain nary a dull tune. His lyrical themes, his guitar playing, his high baritone voice are all perfect. Even if the man himself is not a fan of the latter album, I consider it to be his best. From “Avalance” to “Joan Of Arc,” it is my favorite recording of all time.

When I first received word that Cohen’s entire 1970 Isle Of Wight performance was to be released as a CD/DVD set, I immediately requested a review copy. The concert occurred nearly half a year before Songs Of Love And Hate was released, so the night’s setlist contained almost all of Cohen’s most-recognized, dare I say best songs from those first three albums. Aside from that, the aura of his performance has been something of legend in the decades since the festival. As the story goes, Cohen was awakened early the morning on August 31st, 1970 — either at 2am or 4am depending on your source — and brought onstage to perform to a riotous crowd of 600,000 concertgoers. After several days of music, the audience had trampled fences, set fires to numerous structures, and booed a number of artists off stage. The grounds had been transformed into a political arena. Backed by his band, The Army, Field Commander Cohen tamed the crowd with a mixture of songs, poems, and darkly comedic banter. His beatific presence and artistic brilliance had a  mesmerizing effect on the festival’s attendees. Only once does Cohen address a single member of the crowd. The remainder of his set literally forced 600,000 people to shut their mouths and behold his greatness.

The soundboard recording is truly awesome. At different points in the show, you can hear Cohen instructing his band, encouraging them to pick up or slow down the pace of a song, or add some spice to his voice and guitar combo. Standout tracks include “The Stranger Song,” “Tonight Will Be Fine” and “Lady Midnight.” The codeine-slow “Bird On A Wire” proved to be a downright hypnotic way to open his set, but the follow-up track, “So Long, Marianne,” picks up the pace nicely. As his performance rolls on, the backing band finds its groove and songs are injected with more and more life. “Suzanne” is slowed down a bit, allowing Cohen’s vocal delivery to come across like a meditative chant. On the DVD, it’s effect on the crowd is seen clearly as pockets of seated audience members stare up at the singer in complete awe.

Speaking of which, the accompanying DVD contains a film by Murray Lerner documenting Cohen’s performance. It includes interview clips with Judy Collins, Kris Kristofferson, Joan Baez and others. Although the entire performance was filmed, not all of it is shown. It should have been made available as a whole on the DVD. Furthermore, the songs chosen for inclusion are not in the correct running order. It’s a bit baffling why the director chose to build a film around select songs only to offer them to viewers out-of-order. Other than those two negative points, it is a very entertaining film.

Needless to say, I am much happier with the release of Leonard Cohen Live At The Isle Of Wight than I am with March’s Live In London. This 1970 performance is of greater historical significance and it boasts an impressive setlist of early songs. I always love listening to Cohen’s infamous BBC performances from the summer of 1968. In the past, each time I have heard those songs I have wondered why a full concert from that era was not released for casual and die-hard fans to enjoy. When the Live In London disc was released, I was happy to have a new Cohen album but disappointed by the concert choice. Making available both the audio and selected video from the Isle Of Wight festival is a phenomenal way of showcasing the genius of one of the world’s greatest songwriters. I highly recommend this CD/DVD set to all Cohen fans. And to those of you who may not know his work that well, I guarantee you will be moved by this album. It is impossible not to be inspired by the man’s limitless talent.

Leonard Cohen – Bird On A Wire
Leonard Cohen – Lady Midnight

A recent thread on the Electrical Audio forum keyed me into an available download of the recent BBC documentary entitled Krautrock – The Rebirth Of Germany. As an avid fan of German progressive/experimental music from the late ’60s and early ’70s, it offered fascinating insight into the lives of many of the musicians commonly linked under the heading of “Krautrock”. Whereas Julian Cope’s epic tome Krautrocksampler gave us biographical accounts of German bands both big and small, this documentary featured many of the musicians giving firsthand accounts of their experiences. If you, like myself, hungrily devour everything you can related to bands such as Faust, Can, Neu! and Cluster — this is a must-see film.

The viewer gets the sense, while listening to folks like Michael Rother, Edgar Froese, Moebius and Roedelius, of how laid back and unpretentious the “scene” was, if you could even call it one. All these bands were from different cities in Germany, so they rarely played together and barely knew each other. There was no competition and no drive to make it big, these folks were just reacting to the state of their country and releasing everything inside them through music. You laugh along with Holger Czukay as he recounts his experiences with Karlheinz Stockhausen and the introduction of Damo Suzuki to Can. You learn about the commune Amon Duul belonged to, and the murderous rampage some of its members went on. You realize you fucking hate Brian Eno, that stupid piece of shit.

The least interesting story, of course, is that of Kraftwerk. Too much attention is paid to their ability to transcend the Kraut movement and find success outside of Germany. So what? That wasn’t the point of the movement, why does it need to be highlighted? I wanted to hear more interviews with Klaus Schulze and see footage of Faust performing in the early ’70s with their fucking pinball machines. Hell, I wanted to hear more about Popol Vuh than the obligatory Werner Herzog connection story. There’s amazing footage of Florian Fricke and Holger Trulzch floating around the internet, and Daniel Fichelscher must have countless stories.

One small problem I had with the film is, if you’re going to talk about Klaus Schulze as an electronic composer as well as the drummer for Tangerine Dream, why not take the next logical step and introduce the Ash Ra Tempel / Komische Kuriere plot to the documentary? They too were recorded by Conrad Plank, who seems to be a common thread joining all the other bands featured in the film. Hell, their story deserves its own documentary. That’s the only reason I can think of for not including Gottsching and Co. to the story — the complexities of their story would blow everyone else out of the water.

Someday, someone will create a proper archival documentary detailing the entire experimental music movement that occurred in Germany during the late ’60s and early ’70s. Hell, someone should transform Krautrocksampler into a screenplay. So many amazing stories begging to be told, so many uninformed music fans could appreciate this unique and wonderful era. Before the BBC catches wind of this, you should make it your business to download the entire film and enjoy it. It runs for about an hour, so make sure you’ve already got a good buzz on before you press play.

Auf Weidersehen.

The self-titled Evergreen release (originally on Hi-Ball records, later reissued by Temporary Residence) is a monster boogie punk/rock record. “Klark Kent” is an all-time great tune. I don’t even mind that the band was recorded by DFA’s James Murphy, who as a musician couldn’t write a half-decent song to save his life. They sounded raw, loud, and possibly intoxicated. The lineup of that incarnation of Evergreen included Slint’s Britt Walford on drums, and Sean McLoughlin on vocals.

Louisville label Noise Pollution has just released a CD of Evergreen’s early material — the earliest of which dates back long before Walford or McLoughlin joined the group. The lineup on this album includes Dave Pollard on vocals, Tim Ruth on guitar, Try Cox on bass and Matt Tucker on drums. The first thirteen tracks were originally released by the Self Destruct label. Tracks 1-5 appeared on the band’s original 7″ single (self-titled). Tracks 6-13 are the elusive Go Cart Ride cassette, which was limited to 300 copies when Self Destruct released it in 1993. You might remember I posted it as part of Treasures From The Collector’s Slum last year. Tracks 14-17 were recorded by Sean McLoughlin and were originally included as part of the Cinderblock demo tape. Tracks 18-21 were recorded live at Louisville’s legendary Zodiac Club in 1991.

In my epic travel book about underground rock in America — which will actually be published soon, mark my words — Will Chatham of Crain spoke about the height of the Zodiac Club’s popularity as his favorite time in Louisville. Chatham said, “Something about that place seemed really important. I think it was a time in the Louisville music scene when things really came to a head. There was a wide variety of bands that came through, and the kids that attended the shows were all there for the music. It just seemed really positive, and without expectations or bullshit. Also the fact that we all watched the U.S. go to war one night on TV there (1991) probably helps give me a stronger memory.”

For the most part, this collection of tunes captures a distinct and different era in the existence of Evergreen than the one I first fell in love with. I’m happy to have a quality recording Go Cart Ride in my possession, but I will always hold a place in my heart for Sean “bong rips between lines of songs” McLoughlin’s vocal swagger and the downright funky punk rock those guys played.

Wholeness Of The Soul is available now courtesy of Noise Pollution.

- Empty Sun
- Wholeness Of The Soul
- Feed
- Stripped