Customer Reviews

Applehead Man

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

 

 

This album is just a glimmer of what Trip Shakespeare would soon be capable of. Switch over to Amazon Auctions and see if you can track down either "Lulu" or "Across the Universe," now out-of-print. If I ever lost my copy of either I'd be beside myself...

Let me describe those first for comparison. Think Revolver-era Beatles meets Gordon-era Barenaked Ladies in all the best ways. Lyrics and overall personality: charming, surprising, slightly goofy, unaffected depth and warm personality. Great songwriting with that rare kind of catchiness where you don't mind it being stuck in your head. Arrangements are fairly simple (two electric guitars, tight fretless bass and drums) and overlaid with gorgeous 2- and 3-part harmonies. Wonderful.

This album doesn't have the diversity of Trip's later efforts. Matt does a great job of harmonizing with himself, and John and Elaine are a tight rhythm section as always, but Matt's over-singing a bit and there's not much variety in arrangement or feel of each song. Still, there are glimmers of what lay just around the corner. "Pearle" has always been a favorite.

My take on Semisonic, formed by Dan and John after Trip broke up: Matt was the soul of Trip Shakespare, and Semisonic doesn't seem to have found one yet. I used to say I'd listen to Dan Wilson sing the phone book -- "be careful what you wish for" I guess...

And Matt, if you're out there -- keep writing. We're still listening.

OK, I really can't be objective about this album, or this band. Trip was (and still is) my absolute favorite live band.

I purchased the Applehead Man cassette from Matt off the front of the stage at Parody Hall in KC. I think it was the second time we saw them; Dan had just joined the band, and the energy they exuded was astounding.

To get a feel for how this band truly sounded, you pretty much need to listen to three albums; Applehead Man to really hear how they constructed a groove, Are You Shakespearienced? for the energy, and Across the Universe for the best reproduction of the three guys' harmony.

Hopefully, if enough folks on the web buy all the old albums and talk'em up a lot, we can convince Dan and John to forget that Semisonic deal and join up with Matt (I hear that Elaine's out of the music business)to put the band back together. That Slichter guy can play the drums (we won't make him stand up).

It's true that the album lacks the production and sonic variety of their later albums but in a way that's one of it's big strengths. Later Trip albums seem to be a little more like collections of individual songs rather than single cohesive albums, but this flows quite well from song to song. "Fangs", "Pearl" and "Washington Bridge" are all standouts. "Beatle" is an odd medley of Beatles' songs - not just "Lucy in the Sky" but "Ticket to Ride", "Birthday" and numerous other Beatle songs are woven or crashed together into one track. It's fun go through and see how many you can recognize.

This album is a must have for any music fan tired of the same, soulless, commercial music (if I may call it that) who seeks out the beautiful sounds of art rock. This album is pre-Dan Wilson (of Semisonic fame) which leaves most of the harmonizing to his brother Matt (guitar and vocals). The guitar parts are dark but complement the beauty of vocals and the lyrics. The drumming is a comfortable break from the mainstream. And the overall sound, or production is even a break; it is very dark and clean. There is even an homage to the Beatles (titled Beatle) in which Matt takes the beautiful melody of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds are makes it scream desperation. This album also includes the original recording of "Pearle" found on the Across the Universe release. If you buy this album you will instantly love this great, now defunct band. Enjoy

I agree with the other reviews about the the musicianship. I will comment though that the lyrics can be quite creepy and dark sometimes... even if the compositions seem light. It had me wondering a bit, if this was a "Christian" album at times. But no, it's more of an experimental and contemplative style of music.

Overall, I'm reminded at times of The Byrds, REM, and early Doobie Brothers when listening to this CD. It's an established sound, but done quite well.