Customer Reviews

Acid Bubblegum

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Briefly, if you like his early stuff, you should like this album. All but a handful of songs rock and will have you humming along. This is the kind of album that would sell 500,000 copies, if only people were forced to listen to it and given a lyric sheet.

This record was head and shoulders above most everything available in '96 when it was released and it is way better than most of today's schlock that gets so much attention. A big departure (return to form?) after 12 Haunted Episodes (which is a very different record, but also VERY much worth owning.)

It's a shame that gp never has gotten the recognition he deserves. This is intelligent and danceable music. There are numerous excellent songs on the record, but "Obsessed with Aretha" is, alone, worth the price of the disc, if you can find it.

This surprising little album is a return to form of sorts for GP. After the excellent STEADY NERVES Parker began to descend into the abyss of adult contemporary schlock, with 12 HAUNTED EPISODES he literally hit rock bottom. Of course, from there, there was no where to go but up, and up he went, way up! Musically he hasn't gone back quite to the glory days of THE REAL MacCAW and HOWLING WIND, but this album is musically as exciting as THE MONA LISA'S SISTER, which is a pretty fair jump after 12 HE. Parker's lyrical strength has always been in his venom, and here, suddenly GP remembered he was angry. Gone is the overly sentimental family man who was increasingly expressing only his own emotions, GP has returned to sharp social commentary, and I welcome it. When he started out, GP was basically a harder, better version of Elvis Costello. An angry young man's angry young men, if he hasn't quite returned to that he's probably come as close as is possible. Highly recommended for long time fans, and also a good starter for newbies. I also recommend THE LAST GREAT ROCK N ROLL TOUR and any GP album before 1990. Especially worthy tracks include: 'Turn It Into Hate' 'Get Over It And Move On' and especially 'Obsessed With Aretha' but all are excellent.

Graham Parker comes roaring back after the gentle, pastoral "12 Haunted Episodes" to give us an album's worth of fierce cynical rock and roll. "Turn It Into Hate", "Get Over It and Move On", and "They Got It Wrong As Usual" are among the best songs he's ever written.

This surprising little album is a return to form of sorts for GP. After the excellent STEADY NERVES Parker began to descend into the abyss of adult contemporary schlock, with 12 HAUNTED EPISODES he literally hit rock bottom. Of course, from there, there was no where to go but up, and up he went, way up! Musically he hasn't gone back quite to the glory days of THE REAL MacCAW and HOWLING WIND, but this album is musically as exciting as THE MONA LISA'S SISTER, which is a pretty fair jump after 12 HE. Parker's lyrical strength has always been in his venom, and here, suddenly GP remembered he was angry. Gone is the overly sentimental family man who was increasingly expressing only his own emotions, GP has returned to sharp social commentary, and I welcome it. When he started out, GP was basically a harder, better version of Elvis Costello. An angry young man's angry young men, if he hasn't quite returned to that he's probably come as close as is possible. Highly recommended for long time fans, and also a good starter for newbies. I also recommend THE LAST GREAT ROCK N ROLL TOUR and any GP album before 1990. Especially worthy tracks include: `Turn It Into Hate' `Get Over It And Move On' and especially `Obsessed With Aretha' but all are excellent.

Graham Parker's venomous wit shines here on "Acid Bubblegum." This was in fact my intro to Parker. "I'd seen him perform "Obsessed with Aretha" on some TV show, and I went right out and found the CD.

Powerful, angry stuff from Parker and the Figgs. "Obsessed" is a very accurate take on the pop scene, at that time and now, with Parker pointing his guns at Aretha, white-soul girl wannabes, and loser boy bands. Journalists (especially the "gutter press") also come in for a reaming.

"Turn it Into Hate" kicks off, with horns to back up the guitar/bass/drum setup, and damn if it doesn't sound like Iraq, now...the title quote is from "Sharpening Axes," another laser attack on the masses. "Bubblegum Cancer" was probably my favorite track, with some exceptional lyrical turnarounds.

"She Never Let Me Down" and "Girl At the End of the Pier" are fine ballads, with the latter having a Parkerish ending.

All in all, a set of great songs, with Parker's poison-pen style making for an entertaining and insightful recording.

After 12 Haunted Episodes, I was a little concerned, but this is Graham Parker at his best. Long-time fans won't elevate up to Squeezing Out Sparks, but honestly with its production values and song-after-song of brilliance, it can be argued this is his best yet.

This is head and shoulders above anything since The infamous Squeezing Out Sparks! Turn It Into Hate, Impenetrable, Sharpening Axes are GP classics for sure. Not a bad apple in the barrel!

If you loved Graham Parker's early work and were wondering what he's been doing lately - this is the place to start. Great songs. Great voice. Great production.

I would also recommend the Live in Japan cd - but I would get this one first.

Perhaps it's unfair to call this a return to form on the heels of only one poor album ("12 Haunted Episodes") but it's a pleasant surprise to hear Parker stripped down and slamming away on this disc. "Sharpening Axes," "Impenetrable," "Obsessed with Aretha," and "Character Assassination" are top-notch. Still, the CD could have used a little trimming ("Get Over it and Move On," "Bubblegum Cancer.") And the sound goes a bit overboard. You want more bass, Graham, you don't want to get anywhere near slickness -- I get it! Oh, well, turn the treble up two notches and you'll be fine. Overall, this is good stuff.