Customer Reviews

Let's Talk About Leftovers

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

 

 

Let's Talk About Leftovers is the sixth album released by Lagwagon and is released through the lead singers (Joey Cape) record company My Records. All of the other releases have been released through the Fat Wreck Chords label. This record contains new stuff, out takes, rare comps and early demos as the blurbs shouts out to you on the back. Lagwagon started off as just another punk band that sounded just like NOFX, but over the years they have created their own sound and have become fairly successful.

** A Brief History **
Before I start to review the CD I will first talk a little bit about Lagwagon and how they got to this record (well kind of any way!). The earliest recordings of Lagwagon are way back in 1990 so I can only assume that they formed some time before that in the late eighties. Sinse then they have released 5 albums (not including this), which are (in date order) Duh, Trashed, Hoss, Double Pladinum and Let's Talk About Feelings. The best albums in my view are Trashed and Let's Talk About Feelings, however they are all excellent CDs. Lagwagon, since releasing their first album have grown to become one of the most popular bands on the Fat Wreck Chords label and regularly feature in their sampler record series, Fat Music.

** Lets Talk About Leftovers **

1. A Feedbag of Truckstop Poetry
2. Narrow Straights
3. Burn that Bridge When We Get to It
4. Losing Everyone
5. Jimmy Johnson
6. Eat Your Words
7. Want

These first seven songs are new, well mostly songs 1, 6 and 7 can be found on the 7' A Feedbag of Truckstop Poetry. Number 7 'Want' is a song by Jawbreaker, one of Lagwagon's favourite bands.

8. Bring on the Dancing Horses
9. Randal Gets Drunk

Number 8 'Bring on the Dancing Horses' is a song by Echo and the Bunnymen, they chose to cover this song, apart from liking the band, because they like it when animals dance! Number 9 'Randal Gers Drunk' is on the Fat release Short Music for Short People. Both these songs were recorded at the same time as the album Let's Talk About Feelings.

10. Raise A Family
11. Restrain
12. No One Like You
13. Freedom of Choice
14. Brodeo

All of these songs were recorded at the same time as the Double Pladinum album, they appologise for not including them as they feel the record was a little short (around 25 mins!). Apparently number 14 'Brodeo' is slightly country, but I can't see it! Number 14 'Raise A Family' is also available on the Fat release Physical Fatness, part of their sampler series.

15. Drive By
16. Wind in Your Sail
17. Over the Hill
18. Defeat You
19. Laymens Terms

All of these songs were recorded at the same time as the Hoss album. Number 19 'Laymens Terms' is also available on the Fat release Survival of the Fattest, part of their sampler series.

20. Jazzy Jeff
21. The Champ

Both these songs were left off the Trashed album, number 20 'Jazzy Jeff' because the song was never finised and number 21 'The Champ' because it was seen as too metal (not wanting to disappoint their punk fans!).

22. Demented Roumours

This was recorded with the Duh album and was left off the album, probably again because it was too metal.

23. Truth and Justice
24. No Conviction
25. Jaded Ways

These songs formed Lagwagon's first demo. At the end of song 25 'Jaded Ways' there is a hidden track, well not that hidden, but it is about 20 minutes of one of their live shows, which are fantastic by the way, from Japan.

** The Cover/Inlay **
The cover cleverly combines the art from the covers off all of their previous albums and throughout the inlay apart form providing a history of Lagwagon, band member changes there are photos throughout tracking how the band has changed.

** My Thoughts **
This album is a must for any Lagwagon fan, there are some out there, and is a good introduction for people who want to listen to a broad range of their songs before purchasing a particular album.

When I heard lagwagon for the first time, I was surprised of it's fine guitarwork. In fact, I had never heard of a punkband as good as this one. It changed my view on the punkscene today completely. Never knew punk could be so good. Ever scince I've known this band I only listen to punk. On the album is lagwagon excusing theirselves for the bad recordings... Strange, I don't think there are any bad recordings at all on this album. Lagwagon is a punkband I recommend to all those that are even just a tiny little bit into punk. BUY IT and you will never regret it!!!!

What a great career restrospective...oh wait, it's all b-sides, rarities and compilation tracks! Folks, that's how good our boys in Lagwagon really are. This album spans Lagwagon's career without any album tracks, truly re-mining many of their gems from over the years into a neat little package. A must for any Lagwagon fan, that's for sure. This album gets 4 stars for its brilliance, but of course there are the obligitory early early early Lagwagon tracks, which come nowhere near thier music of today. Even with a few lousy tries at a more metal/punk style, this dish offers up plenty of treats for the fan of real GOOD, well written punk rock.

If you are new to Lagwagon then this is a great cd as it covers how there style has changed throughout the years, personally i think this is a great collection of Lagwagon material and with alot of these been B-sides you know that the bands other material has got to be good. The only thing that lets this disc down are the outakes and comp material from Hoss it sounds as though the tracks where rushed and are a little drab (apart from wind in your sail) other than that the cd is 70 odd minutes long and runs through smoothley. I would recommend duh, feelings and blaze before this but buy this cd if you want to get all the Lagwagon discography. And as far as this cd been bubblegum music well you need an inquiring mind to see how stupid that comment was.

This album is just as good if not better than any before it. If you like the majority of Epitaph bands or any of Lagwagon's earlier albums like myself then you will love this one. They bring a different sound to a genre that is full of bands that sound the same.

I dont know if you people know the previous albums of lagwagon?
Those are Duh, Trashed, Hoss, Double Plaidinum and Feelings.
This disc has all of previous cd's in it.

The first 7 songs are new songs, and in style of Feelings/DP
The metal-like songs on the back of the record were not yet presented on other lagwagon albums, they sound good, only if you like metal-influenced punk.
All the songs inbetween are av. lagwagon songs, but still they are good, they represent the progress lagwagon made on their previous 5albums. from duh to feelings, all's included on this collection.

I can really recommend this to you guys and girls out there!

Sugary, marshmallow power-pop for kids who are too "underground" for Blink182. You call this punk? I call it a bubblegum novelty item. Anyone over 12 who listens to this ought to be ashamed of themselves.