Customer Reviews

A Tribute To Carhenge

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Or maybe not, but you can make your dog happy by doing so. If I had a dog he would be ecstatic, my wife and I own all of their CD's and this one is an outstanding example of their musical talent, humorous, satirical and offbeat lyrics. We we're at the CD release party for this disc the only downside is you can't buy that live perfomance of hits (can I call them that) which we're played by ABE with several additional guest performers.

Nothing I or anyone else says can bring justice to The Auto Body Experience. Their music is truly a bizarre mixture of many different styles, yet it remains pretty accessible. At first, the songs are catchy and humorous, but there is more deep inside them than you would expect. And even having never met them, the music, lyrics, pictures, and liner notes will make these friendly guys seem like old friends. But don't limit yourself to just A Tribute to Carhenge! They have two other very wonderful albums which you can get at the band's website. So anyways, this is by far the best band from the Twin Cities (altough Prince is good too) and you don't want to miss out on this cultural phenomenon.

Auto Body Experience is a seven plus member band from St. Paul, MN, led by guitar whiz, Scott Yoho. They've earned a local fan base through appearances at First Avenue, the Cabooze, the 400 Bar and Christenson's. At their recent gala CD release event at the Minnesota History Center, over 200 showed up, including 100+ long-term fans and a number of kids from Scott's neighborhood.

Topics, for this recording include Mr. Wilson (a.k.a., "Dennis' menacing nemesis"), Mr. Potato Head, and Mr. Tom Larson (the band bassist, noted for his perpetual tardiness). Lyrically, ABE is tredding in the territory of Dr. Suess, with gentle humor that is clever and deep.

"A Tribute to Carhenge" features keyboard whiz Mike Dripps making his ABE debut, the "Car Horns"- Max on sax/clarinet and Tom on trumpet- and the double percussion of Matt Jacobs on drums and Jim Guckenberg on bongos and other stuff. Bassoon is also prominent.

I think that fans of ska will enjoy this record, though technically only two of the songs fit the genre. There are lots of horns on all but a couple of the tunes. Classify this recording as "pop". Stylistically, ABE is all over the map.

This recording is "unlikely" because nobody does the sort of music that Scott Yoho does. Who that you know scores horn charts? ABE combines major national talent with local St. Paul "community spirit" and the drive to do "art" that's good and fun, despite the reality that national media is unlikely to pay attention. Nonetheless, ABE deserves fame and fortune based on their gentle humor and outstanding musicianship. "A Tribute to Carbenge" will make your world a more wonderful place.

I was fortunate enough to be introduced to the Auto Body Experience through becoming a co-worker of two band members, just before this CD was released. After listening to their first two CDs, my wife and I were immediately hooked, and pestered them about upcoming gigs and new recording projects. The songs that Scott Yoho writes are intelligent and quirky, and the only thing serious about them is the actual musical/lyrical contruction and musicianship behind them. If this CD does not a) make you laugh out loud, b) have you tapping your feet, and c) have you telling all your friends to listen to them, then you must be d) dead. After a year and a half of exposure to ABE, I liked them so much that I joined the band.