Acid Bubblegum

Graham Parker

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 24, 1996)
• Original Release Date: September 24, 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Razor & Tie
• ASIN: B000002ZCK
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #188,376 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

"I don't appeal to the masses," Graham Parker sings on "Sharpening Axes" from his new album, Acid Bubblegum, "and they don't appeal to me." This album's very title suggests his deep mistrust of mass success and popular taste in a world where poisons are marketed via cartoon camels, their praises sung by gold-chained gangstas and their dangerous lure lamented by big-haired news anchors. Popular acceptance has barely touched Parker in his 20-year career, but the one-time London pub-rocker remains one of pop music's most cantankerous, most insightful misanthropes--and one of its best singers as well. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Head and shoulders above most everything else out there, February 25, 2004

By	Stephen Pelletier (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This record was head and shoulders above most everything available in '96 when it was released and it is way better than most of today's schlock that gets so much attention. A big departure (return to form?) after 12 Haunted Episodes (which is a very different record, but also VERY much worth owning.)

It's a shame that gp never has gotten the recognition he deserves. This is intelligent and danceable music. There are numerous excellent songs on the record, but "Obsessed with Aretha" is, alone, worth the price of the disc, if you can find it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Return Of The Acid, August 6, 2002

By	The Orange Duke "orangeduke" (Cupertino, Ca United States) - See all my reviews

This surprising little album is a return to form of sorts for GP. After the excellent STEADY NERVES Parker began to descend into the abyss of adult contemporary schlock, with 12 HAUNTED EPISODES he literally hit rock bottom. Of course, from there, there was no where to go but up, and up he went, way up! Musically he hasn't gone back quite to the glory days of THE REAL MacCAW and HOWLING WIND, but this album is musically as exciting as THE MONA LISA'S SISTER, which is a pretty fair jump after 12 HE. Parker's lyrical strength has always been in his venom, and here, suddenly GP remembered he was angry. Gone is the overly sentimental family man who was increasingly expressing only his own emotions, GP has returned to sharp social commentary, and I welcome it. When he started out, GP was basically a harder, better version of Elvis Costello. An angry young man's angry young men, if he hasn't quite returned to that he's probably come as close as is possible. Highly recommended for long time fans, and also a good starter for newbies. I also recommend THE LAST GREAT ROCK N ROLL TOUR and any GP album before 1990. Especially worthy tracks include: 'Turn It Into Hate' 'Get Over It And Move On' and especially 'Obsessed With Aretha' but all are excellent.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A return to form, May 30, 2000

By	"brucec32" (atlanta, ga) - See all my reviews

Briefly, if you like his early stuff, you should like this album. All but a handful of songs rock and will have you humming along. This is the kind of album that would sell 500,000 copies, if only people were forced to listen to it and given a lyric sheet.