Because We Hate You / Let War Against Music Begin

The Minus 5, Young Fresh Fellows | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 27, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 2001
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Hollywood Records
• ASIN: B000059RVX
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #168,270 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Great News Around You

2. Got You

3. Ghost Tarts of Stockholm

4. The Rifleman

5. You Don't Mean It

6. A Thousand Years Away

7. The Amazing Dolphin Boy

8. Thirsty Bird

9. One Bar at a Time

10. John Barleycorn Must Live

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Barky's Spiritual Store

2. Lonely Spartanburg Flower Stall

3. I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight

4. For the Love of a Girl

5. Fuselage

6. My Drum Set

7. Worthless

8. She's a Book

9. Good Times Rock 'N' Roll

10. Little Bell

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A hidden gem, July 8, 2001

By 

foobar (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Because We Hate You / Let War Against Music Begin (Audio CD)

I picked up this CD after hearing a brief review of it on NPR. I wasn't expecting much, but I was completely blown away. The two CD concept is quite clever, and each album has some really great tunes. Most of the lyrics are too smart for mainstream radio these days, but the combination of wit and excellent melody lines make this set a steal.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Fellows are back and moldier than ever!, March 1, 2001

By 

FrankinNJ (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Because We Hate You / Let War Against Music Begin (Audio CD)

Finally, after years of waiting, Young Fresh Fellows fans get another helping of tasty morsels. But what's special about this package is it includes a second disc of frontman Scott McCaughey side band (or is it now his primary band?) The Minus Five. So we need to have two reviews of this molecular infusion of music to give a proper perspective on just how good this collections to ditties really is. Because We Hate You is the Fellow's champ in the corner and packs the kind of punch that doesn't sting until possibly the morning after when you wake up all black and blue. Like a good poem, it brings more meaning each time you listen to it. The infection grows and you're hooked, needing an swift kick in the pants, if you are to have any hope to stop grooving. Instant hits are For The Love of a Girl, I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight, Fuselage, and Little Bell. Any of these songs would be appropriate for radio play should the general public regain some sense of fine music taste again and get off the boy band kick. Other songs require some sense of humor and if you have been following the Fellows for any length of time you should get the jokes with relative ease. A fine time indeed!

But wait.. there's even more! The Minus Five featuring Scotty McOi (that's Scott MaCaughy to you smart guy), Ken Stringfellow of the once defunct, now resurrected, band The Posies, some guest vibes from Robyn Hitchcock, who performs well in storefronts, and some new guy on the scene, Peter Buck from some band called REM. Your first thoughts might very well be Pet Sounds when the vibrations of the notes hits your ears, and you'd be correct in thinking so. Great News Around You is a wonderful song, full of rich melodies, and great instrumentation. Other stand outs are The Rifleman with it's Big Star ending, You Don't Mean, It which could have easily been the song used in that Tom Hanks film That Thing You Do, and would have been a better suited title. There's a bit of honky tonk found within One Bar at a Time, and John Barleycorn Must Live is a must for any Wilco fan out there. And even though I peppered several big names throughout the descriptions of some of the songs, the record is all Minus Five, and that's not all bad.

I admit I haven't gotten much sleep since I first cracked open this CD because my dreams are filled with a different song every hour. Just try getting some sleep with She's A Book playing in the background! So all in all a wonderful collection of music has been crafted by Scott and his cast of thousands for your listening enjoyment. Don't wait a minute longer and buy this CD right now and feel the blessings of YFF and Minus 5.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lost greatness, November 17, 2004

By 

Howlinw (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Because We Hate You / Let War Against Music Begin (Audio CD)

I cannot believe that this is out of print when so many lousy albums are in print. It is an injustice to the world when two of the best albums I have heard in recent years, packaged together no less, are not available through amazon.com. Well, lucky me, a local indie record shop had this in their used department in mint condition. From the moment I stuck disc one (Minus 5 was what I went to first) in my car stereo I was hooked. This is some classic pop in line with the Beach Boys, the Ramones, and 80s "college rock." Tuneful to the extreme, lots of real soul, and the freedom to goof around that comes of low commercial expectations. The songs are smart, funny, uplifting and insightful. In an alternate reality it would be a big, big hit with everyone. It would be blasting from loudspeakers in the streets. But here we are in 2004 America where no one cares enough even to keep it in print. Evrybody has lost out without even knowing it.

-HW