Customer Reviews

New Roman Times

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Reunion albums are generally lame; bands who break up should stay broken up. Pretty good guidelines. But then we wouldn't have New Roman Times, one of my favorite albums of 2004, and probably a more consistently entertaining album than anything CvB put out back in their original mid-80's incarnation. On its face, it should be a total wash-out -- it's not just a reunion album, but a concept album. Ugh. Some sort of impossible-to-decipher futuristic tale of the fascist apocalypse. Geez, I feel like I'm back at summer camp listening to my stoner bunkmate extolling the virtues of Rush's 2112.

But set aside the concept, and there are an unreasonably large number of great songs here. Now, keep in mind that CvB albums usually have 5-6 good songs and a lot of filler (unless you're a fan of their bizarre Baltic-folk-polka-stomps, which I'm not). This one's got maybe 10 good songs. Still far short of the 20 tracks that appear on the album, but 10 good songs are still more than you find on most albums. And some are really great. "51-7" (no, I have no idea what that means) is their strongest anthem since... well, maybe even their first (and greatest) song, "Take The Skinheads Bowling." And "That Gum You Like Is Back In Style" is the prettiest slice of mellow Americana since... well, maybe their last good song, "Sweethearts" (from their pre-breakup swan song). The rest (excluding the weird instrumental nonsense that I mostly skip) is a pleasant, and at times captivating, blend of alt.country and indie pop, earnest songwriting and goofy humor. By all means check it out.

In a day when a renion cd can mean that half or less of the original band is back, "New Roman Times" actually features all the original members of Camper Van Beethoven. And what an ambitious cd it is. The songs, while great on their own, form a concept cd that is a dark political parable for our times. Everthing you expect from Camper is here: instrumentals, humor, politics, and psychedelics. But this is also a mature group and they bring influences of their individual work since 1989's "Key Lime Pie." In fact, Cracker's John Hickman plays on the cd and co-wrote "That Gum You Like is Back in Style." This is the tightest the band has ever sounded. Just take a listen to "Civil Disobedience" for example. For Camper fans, this is the reunion we've been waiting for. Here's hoping it reaches new fans as well.

This record sounds great, that's the first thing you notice right away. There might be a jig on electric violin out front, but underneath all this monstrous electric guitar soloing. After I played it a few times, I looked at the booklet and there is a rock opera thing going on about a disalusioned soldier and an underground movement. Maybe it took CVB fifteen years because the rocord is quite complex. And funny, LOL stuff. It fits in with CVB II or any of their old stuff; certain references to Cracker crop up. It's a big rock record from left field. I hope some more intelligent reviews than this one follow, because this record is thought provoking, funny, and it rocks (the guitars sometimes remind me of the third Santana album - dare I say acid drenched?). Enough. Glad to have them back.

Every time I listen to New Roman Times, it gets better. The concept / story line is just a framework for some great songwriting and musicianship, so relax, [GW]Bush fans. The songs will grab you whether you pay attention to the story or not. I find myself absent-mindedly whistling or humming the melodies without thinking about it (and no, not because I can't get a song out of my head; more like, I don't want to). At one point I was outside doing yard work whistling "Hey Brother" when an older neighbor (WWII gen) heard me and said, without sarcasm, "That's a beautiful song, what's it called?" (Hee hee. I didn't have the heart to tell him anything more than the title.) There's a lot of beauty here, richness, complexity, irony... and fun. I hope they do a show here soon.

I love Camper Van, & have been a fan for a long time. This record of course doesn't sound like their last, which was a long time ago. This is a beautiful record for today, layered & mixed with the Camper style. It's a mix of funky instrumentals & lyrically incredible tunes.

1. Some songs on this record are so good they give me chills.
2. Even if the rest of the record was bad, the title song is so good it's worth the price.
3. I pray they continue, because this is record gives me hope & comfort. It's one of those CD's I'll play often & smile as I slowly digest the nuances. It's beautiful.

Thank you.

It was with some trepidation that I approached this record. Although a huge fan of CVB from their first record through "Revolutionary Sweetheart", I was disappointed in "Key Lime Pie" and have never been much of a fan of Cracker or The Monks of Doom.
Despite elements of both projects showing up, most noticably in "Hippy Chix" (Cracker) and both "White Fluffy Clouds" and "Discotheque CVB" (Monks of Doom), this is very much a Camper Van Beethoven record. After several listens, there are no tracks that grab my attention and put an immediate smile on my face (as there were on all previous Camper records, even "Key Lime Pie"), but this is clearly a return to form, and the return of Jonathan Segel as violinist/multi-instrumentalist is most welcome.
My favorite tracks so far are the eastern European ska of "R 'n R Uzbekistan" (which could have been an out take from any one of their first three records) and the darkly humorous "Might Makes Right", both of which are close in the track listing and land about 1/3rd of the way through the record - right where it really starts picking up steam.
The wry, tongue in cheek lyrical content has survived the 15 year hiatus successfully, although the album content is darker than any previously - inevitable maybe, given the times in which we live. The concept (and yes, it is a concept album) is certainly topical, but handled with enough fantastic elements and black humor to keep it from seeming overbearing.
I could go on all day - Camper was one of my favorite bands, and seeing them go (even in their diminished form of the "key Lime Pie" era) was difficult to take. I couldn't be happier they're back, original line-up intact, and this record is a worthy first outing after such a long absence. I have a feeling it's only going to get better from here. Welcome back, boys.

I can't get enough of this album! I've been recommending it to all my friends, family, co-workers...I've been listening to CVB for years, and had always thought Key Lime Pie was the best, but this even tops that!

My brother & I have been fortunate enough to go to two record-store openings & concerts by CVB since this album came out. David Lowery calls this a "science fiction album." Although every song stands alone and is beautiful/catchy/poetic/imaginative/weird along with all the best of CVB & alternative rock, there's a story going on from song to song that you can track through the liner notes. It's a sort of alternate-reality America that follows the story of a young soldier in the Christian Republican Army of Texas, which is invading California. In describing it, David says, "There are some space aliens & hallucinogenic flowers," while Camper violinist Jonathan Segel says, "It's a tongue-in-cheek album that's a little less tongue-in-cheek after the election." Political & social satire but not pointedly so--that is, you can see what Camper may be aiming at, but it really isn't specific or in your face at all. My favorite songs include the lovely "That Gum You Like" (remember Twin Peaks?), which was written with co-Cracker founder & guitarist Johnny Hickman; "Civil Disobedience" (a haunting song that might have come right out of the sixties, but with a millennium rock sound--"Do you know what to do? Will you do it?"); and "Discotheque," which sounds even more fabulous than any instrumental from the original disco era. This album is pure genius!

This cd is growing on me. I'm on my 5th listen and it gets better each time. It may end up being my favorite CVB album. Sure, there's some skip'able songs, but also some classics. Definitely a must have for CVB and Cracker fans. Go see them, too. Their shows are incredible and they're almost always on tour somewhere.

I just got back from seeing CVB tonite...had a nice little short chat with D. Lowery and crew.
So, understandably, I'm still kinda' jacked up from the performance.
This new album IS the next step after Key Lime Pie.
Yes, it is a concept album, but when they work, that's not a bad thing...this one works well.
Having just heard them slam out some of these new jems I saw some instand CVB classics.
I only listened to the CD on the way home from the show...drove around until I finished the second CD.
You have no choice...if you dig CVB....you gotta' own it...in spite of the fact that there is some filler...
If they hit your town, go see 'em...and obviously pick this 2 CD masterpiece up first so you know the words to the sing along tunes.
I would have given this 5 stars, but I'd like to think that their 5 star album hasn't been written yet.

Aside from the cover (a minor detail but hard to ignore compared to previous covers' glory) this is to me the best record of their career. It's got all the classic elements of their sound but takes into account what's happened sonically with the rest of the music world since Key Lime Pie and acts accordingly. In fact they push the envelope further than most and set the standard higher than it's ever been in rock music. So it's musically serious, and even a little serious lyrically, but overall it's funny and enjoyable, even if it's a little dark at times.

After hearing these songs live I have a better understanding of where they are coming from politically. It's more subtle than the lyrics let on, and not as serious as one may think from reading a review. I mean, it's obvious CVB (and a whole lot of other folks) are against the current right-wing atmosphere of today, and it comes through in the music, but don't mistake this CD for a political statement cause it's not. It's a rock and roll record that dives into fantasy and whim and as such is both silly and beautiful. And even a little pissed off.

Engineering and production are top notch, the record has a big, full presence pretty close to the glory of their live sound, and they put a lot of effort into making every little corner of the mix interesting.

Overall this is a fantastic record and a triumphant return, almost like they'd been rehearsing in secret the whole time and not split up all these years.