Customer Reviews

Spanks for the Memories

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I first encountered The Asylum Street Spankers through a friend, who let me take a listen to this record and Spanker Madness, and from there the music just kind of stuck. I now own all their recordings that I can get my hands on (some are harder to snag), and I have to say that this might very well be their best recording of the kind of music that is undeniably "theirs," and definitely the best place to start.

But what are you starting with, eh? I guess since I'm the first review, I should handle that. The Asylum Street Spankers perform what has been labeled "Acoustic Music", but would be better characterized as "Old-Timey." Somewhere between what you would expect to hear a jug band play and something you might hear coming out of a saloon in a spaghetti western and some early 20th century jazz. Think Squirrel Nut Zippers without a horn section and a lot more talent if that makes any sense. They're champions of this relatively small genre, and also a very much Austin-eque band, since that's where they base their operations from.

As for this CD, I've got to say that I prefer it to most of the other alternatives. So far as capturing all of the different dimensions of that old-time sound that characterizes their genre, this one hits more bases and does so better than most of their subsequent records. There's a lot to love on this CD. My personal favorite tracks are Superchief, I'll See You in My Dreams, and (the eerily prescient, seeing as this record is over ten years old) Hometown Boy, but there's something here for everybody. Instrumentally, this is from the beginning days when Stanley Smith was the group's regular clarinetist and Guy Forsyth was still lending his songwriting and performing talents, and the group is better for it.

For new fans looking for a taste of what the Asylum Street Spankers' music is all about, this is probably the best place to start, and I'd venture to say that most open-minded appreciators of music should include it in their collections. Fans of later records may not find this to be as alternative-friendly (My Favorite Record) or as jazzy or kitschy (Hot Lunch or Mercurial), but for my money, this is easily the best they've done to date.

My car's CD player regularly rotates between four or five Spanker albums, but the one I always come back to (other than Live, which I hear is out of print) is this one. Spanks for the Memories has some of the greatest tracks the Spankers have ever performed--Christina Marrs' rendition of "Song with No Words" is utterly sublime, and "Shave 'Em Dry" remains one of my favorite Spanker tracks ever. "If I Had Possession over Judgment Day" never fails to remind me of why I was so upset the day Guy Forsyth left the band, and "Hometown Boy", one of the angriest Spanker songs I've ever heard, highlights Guy's genius even more. And even my wife (who tolerates my love of the band even though she doesn't share it) has requested "Lee Harvey" at one of the Spankers' live shows.

If you have not yet discovered the Spankers (which is unlikely if you're reading this review), consider the following questions: Do you love the raw power of the human voice? Do you love the sound of acoustic instruments played without amplification of any kind? Do you love to listen to a band that just flat out loves to play? If the answers are yes, then you owe it to yourself to check the Spankers out. If I were to recommend one album to a Spanker neophyte, this would probably be the one.

I was introduced to Wammo & the Asylum Street Spankers at the Strawberry Music Festival in Yosemite, CA last May, 1998. They were the most entertaining band at the festival & the weekend favorite! I was lucky enough to meet some of the band members, and what a great group of people! Their music is as interesting as they are! I've never heard another band quite like them, and if you're interested in "out of the ordinary" music, this is the CD for you! I smile everytime I listen to my CD, and "Spanks for the Memories!"

I've had this album for over a year and its one of my favorites. This band plays like they have met at someone's house to jam, and that's exactly what they do! There are ten people in this band, and they each take a turn in the spotlight, and none of them disappoint! The Spankers cover some songs from the 20's and 30's, but the original tunes sound just as good. In addition, this band features guitar, mandolin, ukulele, banjo, kazoo, upright bass, clarinet, and even a washboard. This album is an excellent second purchase if you liked their other album, "Live."

Making this recording live was a brilliant idea. To see and hear the Spankers live is the one of the most entertaining evenings you'll have, but since most people can't make it down to Austin, TX, Spanks for the Memories is a great sampler of the stellar creativity, musicianship and general fun the Spankers create.