Customer Reviews

This Is Still It

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

 

 

After being out of print for over 20 years, the Method Actors are back; and boy do they sound great.

The compilation gathers songs from the two-man lineup of the Athens Ga. Band. It spans the period of '80-'81. `This is still it' covers the group from their first EP through their first full LP; collected from a total of seven releases. Though there is a lot of material missing from the band from that period, this collection is still a must and I'm just glad to have the Method Actors join the digital medium.

The compilation was mastered from vinyl and sounds absolutely wonderful. If the booklet hadn't stated that the CD was mastered from vinyl, I'm not sure I would have been able to tell. This is the best example of a vinyl-to-CD transfer I've ever heard (huge props to Jessica Thompson on her mastering job). This is also the best the Method Actors have ever sounded on record.

This compilation, released by Acute Records, opens with the relentless epic "The Method" (incorrectly titled "Do the Method" on the CD packaging) and closes with the equally relentless and powerful "Hi-Hi-Whoopee." In between are some of the strangest and most awesome songs you've probably never heard; from the danceable "Commotion" to the thunderous drums, spacey guitar and haunted vocals of "Pigeons" to the marvelously executed "Halloween" which showcases Varney's wild all-over-the-place bass playing. And steel drums, come on who doesn't love some great steel drums?

The two men responsible for this incredible racket are Vic Varney on vocals and guitar (and later bass) and David Gamble on drums and vocals. These two men together are a powerhouse. Varney's idiosyncratic vocals and guitar playing is a perfect match for Gamble's beat-the-hell-out-of-the-drums style.

This disc is a must for anyone who's a fan of the other great art-rock bands of the period such as the Talking Heads, Television and Pere Ubu. And anyone who considers themselves a fan of the other Athens bands of the time (R.E.M., the B-52's, Pylon, etc.) should give the Method Actors a listen and purchase `This is still it' if they feel so inclined. I also suggest that anyone planning on getting the release should opt for the physical CD release in order to get the booklet that includes some great info and some equally cool photos.

This compilation is a wonderful addition to the CD collection of anyone who appreciates great eccentric music.


(Reviewed by Aaron Walton, Oklahoma City, OK who bought his copy through my account)

Like Athens, Georgia's other art damaged post-punk artists, Pylon (whose complete early discography is now thankfully back in print on CD), The Method Actors didn't become wildly successful like fellow scenesters REM and The B-52s, but they were much loved locally and in England, where most of their records were originally released. Thanks to Acute Records, this wonderfully whacked out duo's early recordings are readily available after a very long absence. As usual for Acute, the disc sounds wonderful and the CD is a must-own for the packaging as well (the booklet includes a short piece about the band from Peter Buck of REM, an extensive interview with band member Vic Varney, and loads of photographs/picture sleeve reproductions). I have to take the review of the CD down a notch from 5 stars, only because it could easily have been a complete retrospective of their early studio recordings (prior to their reformation with a new lineup), but it is unfortunately missing several cuts from the Little Figures double album and the a-side of their second single "Round World/E-Y-E." While the missing tracks aren't the duo's best songs, why not include them (could be a rights or sound fidelity issue, perhaps?). Still, this is an essential purchase for anyone who is into offbeat rock & roll, post-punk, music from the original Athens scene, etc. Hopefully this underservedly neglected duo will gain a lot of new fans from this reissue.