Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars

Edie Brickell

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: August 9, 1988
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Geffen Records
• ASIN: B000000OQW
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #36,199 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
"What I Am," the leadoff track on Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars, was a left-field hit off this Dallas band's debut album, and it remains about the only thing they're remembered for (excepting Brickell's eventual marriage to Paul Simon). But a good part of this album is quite listenable and stands up reasonably well to the years. "Love Like We Do," "Little Miss S." and "The Wheel" are basically equal to "What I Am" in their rhythmic and melodic pop appeal; "Air of December" and "She" allow the band's more jazz-oriented roots a little room to flourish, and the poignantly personal ballad "Circle" remains the best lyric Brickell has written. It was all downhill from here, but Shooting Rubberbands was an early peak worth revisiting. --Peter Blackstock

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Somehow this slips through the cracks..underrated, April 29, 2005

By	Greg Brady "columbusboy" (Capital City) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Any list of the 'best' albums of the 1980s never seems to include this album. The average person considers her a "one hit wonder" for "What I Am"..the track that leads off the album. I can't for the life of me figure out why this is the case.

I found this album quite by accident at our local library when I was in high school ("What I am" wasn't really a big hit in our area and I'd never heard it). Something about the packaging sparked my interest and I borrowed it and loved it. It's been almost 20 years since this came out and I still play it and still love it which I can say for precious few discs I loved in high school.

My enamourment with the album doesn't stem from pure nostalgia. I still have good memories associated with a song from Bad English but I'm not going to tell you it's great art. This is...

What you get here is 12 smart, tuneful songs that marry folk and rock without being pretentious about it. Indeed, "What I Am" urged listeners to "choke me in the shallow water before I get too deep". The intellect that underscores this album is more basic than the kind that's flaunted in an attempt to garner critical praise and "indie" cred. It's in the notion that your doppelganger (look it up) is at this moment living his/her life elsewhere on this blue-green orb. ("The Wheel") It's in the simple observation that it isn't the harsh words we exchange that cause relationships to implode but the poisonous feelings held inside ("Nothing"). It's in the telling detail that paints a picture from a long distant memory ('the sun was in the sky like pink champagne and it glistened in your eyes all day' from "Air of December"). Perhaps Edie ended up marrying Paul Simon because she really understood "I Am a Rock" (consider her own "Circle":"When I'm by myself it's the best way to be/When I'm all alone it's the best way to be/When I'm by myself nobody else can say goodbye"). A gorgeous understated tune like "I Do" can even be wasted as a hidden track on this one.

BOTTOM LINE:
Give this a chance. Your library probably has a copy. A friend has a copy. This album is much better than it gets credit for.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Air of December, The Wheel, Love Like We Do, What I Am, Circle, I Do (Hidden track)

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars, November 22, 1999

By A Customer

I accidently discovered Edie on the darn Windows 95 cd. Unfortunately, no one could tell me who she was. I eventually found two versions of the video on the cd. The second version I found had her name listed. FINALLY! Now, I've gone back and got the first cd's. I remember a the first song as sort of a one-hit wonder 10 years ago. The more I listen to her, the more I like her. Wonder if we'll ever get another album?

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great College Rock., March 17, 2000

By	Jason Stein (Chula Vista, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Of the two Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians (EBATNB) cds, 1988's Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars (SRATS) is better than 1990's Ghost of a Dog or Edie's 1994 solo effort. On SRATS, there are 12 consistent and original songs with Edie's breathy vocals complimenting each one. The music, lyrics and vocals are what make this a stand out cd. Sometimes the first cd is the best from an artist and that would be accurate to say here. It has the hits "What I Am" and "Circle" plus 8 other tracks that are just as good. A must have for any rock collector.