Popular Songs of Great Enduring Strength & Beauty

Camper Van Beethoven | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 24, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Cooking Vinyl
• ASIN: B001807NY2
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #150,168 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Popular Songs features 18 tracks, 5 of which have been re-recorded specifically for this release. Explains Camper Van Beethoven band spokesperson, Col. Jack 'Cheese' Sandwich (ret.) of Limone sul Garda, Italy : 'We endeavored to present an enticing set of popular songs from the much-acclaimed, secondary and tertiary recording periods of the band, 1985-1990. We were, however, thwarted in this effort by a certain recording company which had released the later (tertiary) output of these original recordings. We made offers to buy back our own catalog, but they were rebuffed. Hence, still owning the publishing rights, we decided to re-record a few of these later songs.'

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You Wish Your Band Was This Cool, November 10, 2008

By 

Schmuddude (VP, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Popular Songs of Great Enduring Strength and Beauty (MP3 Download)

A fine primer for the uninitiated, or the perfect compilation for your cocktail party or condo association's elevator. This collection offers a taste of many of the things that made and make CVB such a pleasure; songcraft that ranges from punk to folk to rawk to ethnic to dissonance to savage beauty to subversively stupid and funny, often in a single song. No doubt the non-subliminal messages throughout this album will cause you and your friends to run out and buy all their other albums and concert t-shirts and pile their myspace pages full of inane comments. Don't say I didn't warn you.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A collection of originals and re-recordings., January 29, 2011

By 

H3@+h "Over 1500 reviews!" (thanks for the helpful review votes) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Popular Songs of Great Enduring Strength & Beauty (Audio CD)

So when Camper Van Beethoven decided to release a Best Of, the evil meanies at Virgin said no to the inclusion of songs from the 1988 and 1989 albums. Hence they were re-recorded for this collection. I can't imagine how frustrating that is for bands, to be told "no you can't use your songs". They still sound good though, some might not even notice. I personally had to take away a star since my most favorite song is missing, "Sweethearts". I remember listening to CVB alot in high school. I had a tape with Key Lime Pie on one side, and some Jesus And Mary Chain on the other. Truth be known a better match would have been with Violent Femmes or Uncle Tupelo. Alt-country punk is what I often think of CVB as. Anyway, this is a decent "hits" album, and their only one. Remember when you go bowling, take the skinheads.