Customer Reviews

Just Fred

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

 

 

I can't believe more people don't know about this! I haven't listened to Fred's other solo album the whole way through, but the song I most remember--Monster--while it is a good song, it in no way measures up to the hard-edged punk rock sound of this recording. It's a huge departure from the usual B-52's stuff.

I am not quite a major B-52's fan; my overall impression of them is positive, but I don't really feel a need to own anything other than the Time Capsule compilation. However, a copy of this album caught my eye while I was in curiosity-seeking mode in the cheap bin (especially when I happened to look at the back cover and read the words "Produced by Steve Albini"), and, surprisingly, I ended up really liking it.

As it turns out, this disc pairs B-52's vocalist Schneider with 3 different bands, though an emphasis on driving punk/noise rock and Albini's production style make it so you'd be hard pressed to notice without scanning the credits. His vocal style fits this kind of music better than you'd think; "Sugar In My Hog" shows he has a formidable scream in his repertoire, and the more surf-rock-influenced guitar licks do sometimes bring to mind a heavier version of the B-52's from an alternate universe (as well as highlight his unlikely similarities with Jello Biafra and even Pixies-era Frank Black in vocal style). Lyrically there's some darker material going on at times (at least *I* couldn't imagine lines like "lick your wounds till you have no blood, take another slice" showing up in a B-52's track), but as track titles like "Radioactive Lady Eyeball" suggest, there's still a sense of surreal campy humor at hand (a bizarre deconstruction of Harry Nilsson's "Coconut", for instance). Diehard B-52's fans might not like the musical style, and people who would otherwise like the music might not like the vocals, but the three backing groups (Six Finger satellite, Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet, and Deadly Cupcake) all provide tight, aggressive but hooky arrangements, and at the very least Schneider seems more inspired here than he was with what I've heard of later B-52's material.

I first heard this CD sometime around it's original release. I distinctly remember hearing "Coconut" for the first time and thinking that it was everything quirky, original, and exiting that I liked in my rock music. My tastes have changed since then but I still think this Harry Nilsson cover rocks. "Radioactive Lady Eyeball" is another standout. One of the backing bands on the album is Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet, (from Kids in the Hall fame), who play on "Sugar in My Hog," among other tracks. The sad thing about this CD is that I really think that the bands that back Fred are the best thing here. Throughout most of the songs I was feeling that Fred's singing was the only problem on this otherwise excellent TRUE punk album. If you have any doubts about the musical ability of the obscure backing bands here, just listen to the intros of "Sugar in My Hog" and "Bad Dream."

Totally underrated, I bought this after seeing Fred's wild appearance on the CONAN O'BRIEN show----this grunge/punk hybrid with Fred's hysterically awesome voice makes this a must for fans of Fred...it rocks more than anything he has ever done. It's still in my CD system after all these years!

This album just defies modern music and is great to have if you have his other album. This one sounds more like a punk cd and his old one sounds more like techno/new wave.

His originality always surprise .
The harsh sound of the electric guitars is far from the unique sound of The B-52's . The lyrics are all Fred , so you won't be disappointed .
A classic , like the early works of the B's .

Upon my first listen I was utterly underwhelmed being that FS at least added a little twist of funk to the "Shake Society" recording.

But this did grow on me and I actually like the cover of "Coconut" very much.
You sort of have to have a bit of insight into Fred's quirkiness to digest this I think. If you aren't a B-52's fan or just know "Love Shack" you might not want to bother.

But if you're someone who can appreciate a band like "Black Flag" this is sort of a Fred S. version of that style of music.

I finally listened to the entire thing on a very boring Greyhound bus trek and it really kept me going on that trip. But it some circles it could be compared to a cross between a yowling cat in heat and fingernails on a chalkboard. I think that is was punk basically is? So you take your chances.

This is an exciting, highly entertaining and beautifully produced (Steve Albini) powerhouse of a slam dance album. Fred delivers at 100% throughout. The opener "Whip" will have you hooked and the first half of the album is particularly strong.

You really wouldn't know that Fred works with several different backing bands here - it's produced to sound truly cohesive.

No less powerful than Dead Kennedys or Iggy Pop in full flight.

If you like this album, you'll love John Spencer's blues explosion, that is the band backing him up on most of the tracks..........

Pretty much aimed at B-52's completists.'Just Fred' is B-52's male vocalist's second solo effort.Nothing special here,but a decent alternative release.Some of the cuts that I found semi-entertaining were "Whip","Sugar In My Hog","Coconut" and "Stroke Of Genius".Should be able to find this CD for less than the price of a 20 oz. bottle of Coke.