Customer Reviews

My Scrapbook Of Fatal Accidents

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Much like their music, Jawbox's career was marked by peaks and valleys: mild line-up shifts; the loss of fans after their 1994 jump from Dischord to Atlantic Records; personal sweetness and light; and jarring post-punk experimentation. The latter two items are most evident on this posthumous collection, and, as the band never fully proved to their harshest critics, these simplest elements are ultimately all that matters. Beginning with a five-song 1994 Peel Session, "Scrapbook" embarks on a journey through unreleased tracks ("Apollo Amateur," "Under Glass"), live performances, rare singles and cover versions (of Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin" and Tar's "Static," among others). All of the band's phases are represented here, as well: the early "trio" era before guitarist Bill Barbot climbed onboard; the angular harmony/discord state of the, well, Dischord era; and the more melodic and rhythmically complex era featuring drummer Zachary Barocas (who replaced original skinsman Adam Wade). A photo diary, as well as a written history, accompanies the track listing, providing intimate details of the sessions captured here; and a gargantuan list of all of the band's shows provides a "wish you'd been there" sense of hindsight. Tastefully packaged and compiled by Jawbox themselves (Barbot and bassist Kim Coletta also run the DeSoto label), "Scrapbook" wonderfully fits its title.

It's a shame a band of quality and distinction like Jawbox never got a fair shake from the majors, however, this is a fine document to remember them by. A great starter for those who are neophytes.

A ridiculously good album. This is as good an introduction to Jawbox as you're going to find. It's got most of their really great songs, plus some live songs which are great. Another good thing is that Desoto Records (the label that was started by the band) has re-released the CD, so it shouldn't be as hard to find.

A collection of odds and ends, but not throw-aways. The album is a compilation of live material, covers, and songs otherwise not released on any of Jawbox's 4 full length albums. Most of the studio tracks are the equals of their other material (tracks 7-9 are awesome). The live material is good, but it doesn't capture the energy of their live shows. How could it? This is not a best-of album and I wouldn't recommend it to someone who is listening to Jawbox for the first time. I consider Novelty to be their best album. Next to Fugazi, I don't know of another band who has so successfully mixed punk aggression with complex and genuinely catchy tunes. If you like Jawbox, you should also check out Burning Airlines, a new band comprised of Jawbox's two principle members.

Not exactly a "greatest hits" album but more like "the rest". Here are the demos, the live cuts, the b sides, and the cover songs. Great cuts include "Static", "Savory", and "Low" (a R.E.M. cover). Includes a mini picture portfolio of the band and a booklet that lists every gig they did since day one. Definatelty one of the best bands out there (their album "For Your Own Special Sweetheart" I think ranks as the best album of my huge 500 CD, 250 LP collection). Get this first as it's a little bit of everything, then get the other albums. A definate MUST HAVE!!!

Jawbox (ex members of Government Issue) are a perfect example of post-punk D.C. sound. Their lyrics and powerful tunes are innovative as well as catchy. Although I don't have this album (thinking of getting it anyway), it appears to be a compilation or a "Best Of" album. Suffering the fate of the numbers game, their label dropped them like a bad habit... hopefully they stick with it. Ideally I'd like to see them go back to Dischord - where it all started. If you're just getting started listening to Jawbox and don't know what to buy, this would probably be a good start.