Telescope

Red Star Belgrade | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 9, 2000)
• Original Release Date: May 9, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Checkered Past
• ASIN: B00004SWH7
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #667,475 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Telescope

2. Dreaming 'Bout You

3. Strum 'N Rhyme

4. Highway To Hell

5. Nixon Stamp

6. After The Revolution

7. No Pound

8. Count Me Out

9. Long Cold Day

10. The Border

11. Uncle Tupelo

12. The Bottle

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars "Telescope" Improves With Age, February 26, 2002

By 

Gavin B. (St. Louis MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Telescope (Audio CD)

I bought this CD about a year ago, played it a few times and said,"Hmmm, that's kind of interesting", and put it on my shelf to collect dust and scuff marks. A month ago I took "Telescope" for a spin on the old CD player and something happened... I heard the music of Red Star Belgrade through new ears and grasped the audacity and complexity of this set of interconnected songs. "Telescope" defies any notion of genre. At first glance, one is tempted to saddle Red Star Belgrade with the alt/country designation, but that would understate the case for the ramshackle rock and roll, the sharp tongued lyrical content and post-grunge defiant posturing of "Telescope". The Mekons may be the closet precedent to the music of Red Star Belgrade. Both groups have "big ideas" that almost fall under the weight of their ambition. "Telescope" is the musical equal of the latest offerings by uber-alternative darlings like White Stipes or the Strokes, and "Telescope" improves with age. 4 and a half stars....close to a perfect 5.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars More Spouse Core, August 17, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Telescope (Audio CD)

Bill Curry and his wife Graham are Red Star Belgrade, offering "alt.country" from more of a rock construct than say, The Handsome Family, a somewhat like minded outfit. Although by comparison, HF releases are brimming with good feelings. There is nothing in my CD collection that is as downbeat as Curry's lyrics. Example: "I'm glad we don't have kids, no one should have to see this. It's just so sad."

This release does sound better with age. Comparisons to Neil Young's Ragged Glory days are apt. I especially liked After The Revolution, with its strangely uplifting clarinet-like sound (e-bow?) offering a nice balance to the unbelievably downbeat lyrics. That song, Dreamin' Bout You, Strum 'n Rhyme and The Border are the best things here. Count on Me settles into a nice (if derivative) Feelies-like groove. The title song features a Gang Of Four-like melodica sound with piercing guitar and Bill spitting out angry lyrics. The honky-tonk cover of Highway To Hell is a great idea that comes off a little underdeveloped.

Sure, it's somewhat derivative, but there is lots of potential here.....

1 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Nice cup, but its hard to drink out of, October 13, 2000

By 

Tom Heerman (Minnetonka, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Telescope (Audio CD)

This record reminds me of an old souvenir cup I used to have. It was shaped like a giant molar, and it was cute to look at, but it leaked when you drank out of it. So it really wasn't a good cup at all. Anyway, this album has interesting music on almost every song, and its nicely varied. However, the vocals are so grating that it is rendered unlistenable. If the same set was done by a moderately interesting singer it would be an important record. As it is, it will never come out of my CD rack. Ever.