White Trash Heroes

Archers of Loaf | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 22, 1998)
• Original Release Date: September 22, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Alias Records
• ASIN: B00000AGLH
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #85,272 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #96 in Music > Indie Music > Alternative Rock > American Alternative

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Ever since their 1993 debut, Archers of Loaf have served up fiesty slack anthems for the indie-rock set. On White Trash Heroes, they add keyboards and double the decibels. The result is dense and chewy, with "One Slight Wrong Move" doing a dance with the ghost of Styx's "Mr. Roboto" and their anthem "I.N.S." presaging the future of arena rock. The title cut and "Dead Red Eyes" lean heavily on the electronic embellishment for more of that spooky stuff à la the piano ballads they toyed with on their previous release, All the Nation's Airports. Frontman Eric Bachmann's David Byrne-esque delivery is alternately spitting on and shining up White Trash Heroes, as though he can't stand the songs he's singing but his contempt makes it cool. Like Pavement and the Pixies, Archers' songs take a few listens before the breadth of their scrawl is completely appreciated. --Jason Josephes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best rock albums of all time., August 1, 2000

By 

Trampas Ferree (Bowie, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: White Trash Heroes (Audio CD)

It is sad when a band that is brave enough to try new and imaginative things with each consecutive album breaks up. In A.O.L.'s case, the increase of creativity made each album better than the last. In a way, it's kinda good they broke up after this album because I can't imagine them doing better than this (but I also said the same thing after I first heard "All the Nations Airports").

But where ATNA is sometimes demanding on the listener, WTH's songs are splended on the first listen with well done vocal hooks (with the exception of the fantastic "Banging On a Dead Drum", which is reminiscent of Tom Waits' later work with distorted vocals that pretty much have no melody at all.)

I can name a zillion things I love about this album - the oddly timed bassline in "Dead Read Eyes", the lyrics in "One Slight Wrong Move", the full range sonic pleasure of "Fashion Bleeds", ad nauseum. But those would be nothing compared to how I feel about the title track.

The song "White Trash Heroes" shows a maturity of song writing, lyrics, and musicianship that is so rarely missing from modern popular music. To borrow a line from Kids in the Hall: "I wish that song was a day long...What a day that would be.". It's just so damn beautiful and tragic, much like the entire musical career of Archers of Loaf.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars hypnotic, April 1, 2005

By 

C. Costello (Steeler Country) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: White Trash Heroes (Audio CD)

You can't go wrong purchasing any Archers of Loaf album. There's a depth to the recording that encourages me to listen to it again and again. Archers of Loaf didn't reproduce an "Icky Mettle" sound on release after release. How bored would I be? How sucky would that be? If I want to rock out, I listen to "Icky Mettle" or "Vee Vee" or "The Speed of Cattle". With bands like that, you only NEED to buy one album for your collection. This isn't AC/DC or Jackyl. I suggest you buy ALL the Archers of Loaf albums. NO, I INSIST!!! That's what makes this band great. You will like them ALL. Don't overthink this, just buy them and listen to them. You don't need to RANK them.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great finish to an end of a great band., October 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: White Trash Heroes (Audio CD)

I just got news that AoL are breaking up after this final tour (with Starcrunch/aka Brian Causey formerly of Man or Astroman? on guitar). All I can say is that they will be sorely missed. This album is great and for some reason really moved me on an emotional level. The final song (the title track) is quite possibly one of the greatest songs I've heard...I just can't stop listening to it...it really does end their underrated legacy on a wonderfully quiet and beautiful note. Buy the album and see for yourself.