Customer Reviews

Fast Japanese Spin Cycle

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What a classic! All of the aspects of GBV that really grabbed me are contained within this E.P. If one listens to the "Get Out Of My Stations" E.P., you'll notice the noisey tape hiss, and the songs seem half finished. Now don't get me wrong, I dig the lo-fi aspect of early GBV, but "Fast Japanese Spin Cycle" contains fantastic power-pop gems. Really not much experimentation going on here, just wonderfully crafted tunes by Robert Pollard. Check out "My Impression Now", and the amped-up version of "Marchers in Orange". The E.P. closes with an acoustic version of "Kisses To The Crying Cooks" that will simply make you cry for all of it's simplistic beauty.

You are reading this review because you are wondering if this EP is worth the price you'll pay for it. If you are paying $10 or less, than it is.

It's short, at only about 15 minutes. It is probably only for GbV enthusiasts, who are obsessive completists by nature anyways. For its length, it contains several essential GbV tracks, and therefore cannot be easily slotted into the "hardcore fans only" slot. "My Impression Now" is excellent, "Indian Fables" is among their best acoustic fare since "14 Cheerleader Coldfront", "Dusted" is a good reworking of the original track, and "Kisses to the Crying Cooks" is a masterful reworking of the very excellent "Over the Neptune" that appeared on the "Propeller" album.

If you have a half-dozen or so albums by Pollard and/or GbV, I woiuld recommend this album as a good compliment to what you already have.

At over fifty cents per minute these had better be great songs, and they are. There are enough hooks here for the last 3 GBV albums, which should tell you how great the old stuff was (sorry Bob - I understand your need to evolve though). The disc (at least the old version I have) comes in one of those low-budget cardboard covers similar to LPs, which seems to cause this disc to disappear from my collection and then reappear occasionaly for several consecutive listenings. The cliche "pop gem" truly applies here.

I bought this CD in 1994, when "Bee Thousand" was making GBV known outside their hometown. It was my first GBV record and it's still my favorite. By far the most economical record I've ever heard (8 songs, 11 minutes)...it's worth it just for the second track alone. I won't belabor the details...all you've heard about GBV applies to this record in spades...but to put it briefly, this is the best introduction to the band that money can buy.

this album is an important part of any GBV fans library, the song get right to the point, and capture the feeling of any 12 minute rock anthem in 45 seconds, "kisses to the crying cooks" will make youwant to cry and
"volcano divers" is beautiful, and the first track features writing by "manager for life" almost, pete jamison, weird, get it, play it, and if you see my copy of this on 45 stolen by an ex girlfriend, call me, LONG LIVE ROCKATHON

Forget the length of the songs/disc and the lo-fi qualities that may draw some listeners. The lyrical talents in this disc are top notch, which possibly explains why versions of many of these songs made full length albums along the way.

Some reasons to purchase this disc:
1)If you like these songs elsewhere then you will apppreciate, maybe even love, these versions. They are completely different imaginings of the songs and thus worth your time
2) exceptional song writing with creative lyrics (even for Pollard) and quirky, idiosynchratic melodies
3)poppy short songs that pass the "I hit the back button right away and listen to it again" test

Apart from all of that it fills in as a historical document in those early years when the EPs were a little more odd and eclectic.

It's a must own for GBV fans and for listeners new to the group this is not a bad way to get acquainted to their early lo-fi material.

if vampire on titus could be re-recorded...if the versions of marchers in orange and dusted are any indication, it would be the greatest LP of all time. also here is the all-time GbV classic, my impression now. this is a very nice little disc.