Customer Reviews

Credit in Heaven

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

 

 

Having lived my formative years in the Twin Cities, this recording represents (to me) the pinnacle of the Suburbs.
Although containing some of the band's darker songs it also contains many of their funniest lyrics and lovable songs. Starting with "Tired of My Plans", the band moves through the tongue-in-cheek sadomasochistic "Tape My Wife to the Ceiling", the somewhat disturbing "Ghoul of Goodwill", into the bar fight song "Dish It Up" followed by a hilarious "Mommy". Late in a show seeing Beej disappear from stage only to be found standing in a corner atop tri-stacked speakers as the band would brake into a rousing "Drinking with an Angel" was definitely something to behold. By the time "Spring Came", "Credit In Heaven", and the all-time classic "Music for Boys" were played the band would have the audience dancing uncontrollably and eating out of their hand. This recording, and all the songs here-in relives a glorious moment in the Minneapolis Scene's great history and indeed all of Rock and Roll.

nobody else has reviewed this! astonishing. this 1981 release is one of the most pleasing post-punk releases that i know of. i would say that it is one of my 25 favorite recordings of the whole 80's decade. and i will say it: it is one of my 25 favorite recordings of the whole 80's decade. everything here is marvelous. great, quirky songs, with creative rhythmic shifts that are a constant delight. the bass and piano and guitar and drumming are all equally important to this music, and each instrument is played with a freshness and individuality that make the suburbs sound quite like no one else: a totally unique sound that is also completely accessible and enjoyable. this is a pop/rock classic.

This band tied together elements of the 'Minneapolis sound' in a very unique way. They started out with abrasive punk-funk and added instrumental depth that made their music perfect urban dancefloor funk/rock. And they did this all BEFORE the so-called "Minneapolis-Sound" tag was coined. Minneapolis was later to become known for Prince and The Replacements, among others, which is funny because the Suburbs really created part of the template that Prince used for his 'Purple Rain'-era sound, and before that, on their 'In Combo' album they mix up distorted guitar punk with crazy hard funk/rock fusion. All with the most important ingredient on any entertainment record: FUN
A rare treat indeed, see the above review for excellent specifics about the songs.

You know how you remember something fondly from an era in your life and then you go revisit it and it is rather disappointing? Your memory glamorized it and the reality isn't that good. Well this is not one of those moments.
If you danced your brains out to the 'burbs back in the 80's this brings all that back and then some...It still sounds as fantastic as it did then. It got me pogoing around the house making my kids thinking they may have to call the men in the white coats. Thankfully I didn't throw my back out...buy this you won't be disappointed. These guys definitley stand the test of time!

This band ruled Minneapolis in the early 1980's, and their big-sound rock & soul /funk blend is the perfect template from which PRINCE may have designed his band sound on albums like "Controversy" and especially "1999". They favor a slightly more rock/funk, but you didn't hear anything this funky until Prince moved back to Minnesota. They resemble a funked-up ABC, there's a hint of Bowie or Bryan Ferry in some of the vocals too. They weren't afraid to dabble in horns and big arrangements, as well as occasional Tom Waits-styled lyricism in their wry observations of life around them. Quite a fun band, translated well onto this ambitious double album,