Customer Reviews

The Very Best of Robbie Fulks

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

 

 

I would be hard-pressed to disagree with the title. Although certainly not a "greatest hits" album, if that even has meaning with Fulks, this disc seems to feature songs that Robbie just plain enjoys. Although a bit uneven, as any album recorderd with various people over various times would be, the disc contains cuts that rank among his best ever. "That Bangle Girl" and "Jean Arthur" are infectious tunes that I can't hear enough, while "Parallel Bars" is a great old-style country duet with the can't-miss Kelly Willis. I wasn't very impressed with Robbie's previous disc (Let's Kill Saturday Night), but this fine offering from the folks at Bloodshot Records more than makes up for it. I would give it 4 and a half, if they let me split stars.

For those of you that know of Robbie Fulks, this CD is a must have. In my opinion, it is his second best - after Southmouth. There's a variety of styles on here & plenty of talent. This particular CD showcases more of the goofy Robbie that is lurking behind the lyrics on the other albums. For those of you who have never heard of Robbie Fulks, his music is a fun mix of country and rock (at times hitting both extremes) and is full of intelligent lyrics. He doesn't cater to the "moron market,"(Bryan White fans) as he puts it, and the result is refreshing. As a side note, GO SEE HIM LIVE! He puts on a great show.

There are a few throwaway cuts here--inevitable when you have a compilation album of previously unreleased tracks--but there are still plenty of great, smart-alecky songs here, showing that Robbie is still crazy after all these years. No one else in popular music--with the possible exception of Nick Lowe--would dare to follow the Hitchcock-creepy "I Just Want to Meet the Man" with the tomfoolery of "The Wedding of the Bugs," or the nudge-nudge, wink-wink salaciousness of "White Man's Bourbon" with the innocent bounciness of "That Bangle Girl." And who else but Robbie Fulks would dare to begin a country album with a straight-on paean to a '30s movie star? (I fully agree, by the way, with Robbie's high opinion of Jean Arthur, and wish he'd follow up with songs in praise of Audrey Hepburn, Lee Remick, and Judy Holliday!) This isn't, perhaps, the best album with which to begin your acquaintanceship with Robbie Fulks--"Country Love Songs" and "South Mouth" are better starting points--but this one will definitely keep the fans satisfied.

I don't think I agree with things said about this. First of all, "The Very Best.." is like Phil Ochs' "Greatest Hits". No, it's not an albumn in it's own right, but it isn't seriously meant to be the ultimate albumn, either. It is merely a collection of songs, that's what he's good at, that don't fit anywhere else. And they are all great songs. In the context, they tend to jar a little. Nothing quite fits together, like, say, a concept albumn. The style is erratic. "Love Ain't Nothin'" is a good example. Better, perhaps, is "That Bangle Girl", a tribute to the Bangles in the style of the Bangles. It is also full of great country songs. "Parallel Bars" is a good example. It is almost a great intro to what Robbie does. There is no comfortable cubicle for "You break it, you pay" or "Roots Rock Weirdos". It is all over the place. It's songs, without thought to style or concept, that he wrote. If you like his writing, you need this, or you already have it.

In a few days I can go see Robbie Fulks at a nightclub in NYC for only $12. This is a bargain. It's like getting a Jaguar XJ12 for 50 cents. Robbie Fulks is a songwriting, guitar playing genius. It's like the first time I heard Elvis Costello in the mid 70's: I thought, it doesn't, it can't, get better than this. And I feel that now about Fulks. He's got a pure sweet, emotional country vocal style. His guitar playing is otherworldy, perfect, descriptive. Listen to his band--there's no better band playing right now. His arrangements, his musicians, his melodies and his lyrics are funny, sexy and complex. Some of them are deliciously psychotic. (I Just Want to meet the man.) Also, get Couples in Trouble, Country Love songs, and my personal favorite, South Mouth. Why deprive yourself?

Short and sweet: He's a smart alec in cowboy boots who strikes me as someone who's more of an outlaw than what the outlaw industry wants to deal with. And frankly that's a shame. This guy's songs are witty, sad and catchy. Smart, brainy country pop.

"Roots Rock Weirdos" is a beautiful because it goes after the bowling shirt loving Yuppies dressed up like it's 1951 even though it's 2000. Thank God someone had enough nerve to poke a hole in these latter-day muscle car loving delusional fascist weirdos. They're everywhere but nowhere as thick as in Austin, Texas. And frankly I'm all for someone who makes fun of Texans. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. Take your "American Graffiti" loving sad-sack, Stevie Ray-is-God aging frat boy act outta here. And get Robbie Fulk in.

I just got this 2 days ago and I've already listened to it five times! I really wasn't too sure of an album titled "the best of...", especially since I wasn't too keen on his previous release "lets kill saturday night" - but I do rank this one as my favorite albumn of his. It is FANTASTIC! I so much enjoy this! I would actually put this albumn in an tie with "Country Love Songs" with "South Mouth" in a VERY close second - in the race to be the "Very Best of Robbie Fulks". I live in Nashville for cryin' out loud! Why can't I ever seem to be available when he graces this town with his presence? Someday... someday soon... and it will be THIS material he'll be promoting! I can't wait!

This guy is not only ugly but he can't sing worth beans. Bryan White puts him to shame.

To put it simply, this is just a terrible, silly record. All of Fulks' records are silly, but they're usually at least a little bit clever. This one is just dumb; a perfect example of the one time in ten that Bloodshot produces an album I don't cherish.

I've always considered Fulks to be one of Bloodshot's weaker artists - unable to perfectly meld clever lyrics with incredible music, e.g., the Old 97s WRECK YOUR LIFE or anything by the Meat Purveyors or Waco Brothers. Fulks has always been mediocre musically and amusing at best lyrically, but he's never been so poor as he is on this album, the only exception being the standout duet with Kelly Willis, "Parallel Bars." "I Just Want to Meet the Man" isn't bad, either, but both of these tracks are buried beneath the manure that makes up the rest of these albums. The shining example of the utter dreck on this CD is the unfortunate single, "Roots Rock Weirdos," which, while its point is appreciated, is just a downright stupid song.

I had kept Fulk's earlier work just out of love for dear ol' Bloodshot, but this stinker convinced me to sell the whole lot once and for all. Don't worry, though. The cash was well-spent on the latest Neko Case album. Now there's talent worth supporting.