From: bevis@ais.org (Jeremy Lechtzin)
Subject: Re: Camper van Beethoven spinoffs
Keywords: Camper Van Beethoven, Cracker, Monks of Doom
Organization: the ptolemaic terrascope
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1992 01:03:29 GMT

   A few comments on the previous Camper Van Beethoven/Monks/Cracker posts:

"Cracker sounds more like later CVB."  David Lowery's Cracker sounds a lot
like _Key Lime Pie_ because KLP was more or less a Lowery album, the rest
of the band getting more and more annoyed with Lowery.  Obviously, Jonathan
Segel didn't get along too well with Lowery, because he quit/was forced out
by Lowery after _Our Beloved..._.

My opinion is that, in general, the Monks of Doom are better than Cracker.
Of course, there are exceptions.  However, Cracker and esp. David Lowery
annoy me because of their somewhat shameless acceptance of the whole
major-label scene, ie. releasing "singles" to be played in heavy rotation on
MTV and "alternative" radio, slapping big stickers on their albums saying,
"David Lowery, formerly of CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN" (the Monks didn't do this
on _Meridian_ but I think they're justified in doing so now, if only to get
back at Lowery), etc.

Morgan Fichter only played on _KLP_ and toured w/ CVB for a year or so, so I
personally don't consider her a full member, esp. wrt/ the situation where
Segel was "kicked out" and Fichter brought in.  Not that I have anything
against her.  BTW, she's in a new band, and they have an album out, but I
haven't heard it.

David Immergluck _was_ in CVB, or so the Monks' press releases consistently
claim.  Apparently, he played with them live at various times, possibly
during the _KLP_ tours.  This would be a likely time for him to co-write a
song with David Lowery -- I doubt they would write together today.

Chris Molla certainly deserves mention.  I'd agree that his leaving the
band, along with Lowery's gaining more and more control of the group, hurt
their music.

Check out John Relph's discography that can be found on cs.uwp.edu.  It's
very complete.

The CD versions of all the Rough Trade albums were "pressed" later, and in
fewer copies, so you'd have better luck trying to pick up the vinyl versions
of the first three of four albums.  They turn up pretty regularly at stores
that have decent used record sections.  There are cassette versions of most
or all of the albums, also, but those are pretty rare, and not worth the
bother, anyhow.  The RT CD of the third album is nice because it includes
the _Vampire Can.._ EP, and there is a German CD version of _II and III_
that includes the _Take the Skinheads..._ EP.  More collecting notes: the
original pressings of _Telephone Free..._ vinyl on Independent project are
both quite rare and quite nice, so if you ever see one, pick it up.  There's
also supposed to be a 7" of "Take the Skinheads..." which I've never seen --
the B-side is unknown; that's why it interests me.

Following is an admitedly lame review of the new Monks album, _Forgery_.
Basically, the album is decent, but not as good as _Meridian_ or even some
of the stuff on _Cosmo..._.  However, all hope is not lost, because their EP
on C/Z this summer was quite good -- obviously, they haven't lost their
touch.  This review is from (or will be from, when it gets published) the
Michigan Daily.  <Insert generic copyright warning here.>  Not as if you'd
want to steal this review, anyhow.
BTW, I feel like a collector scum loser by being able to write lengthy posts
on a band that hasn't even existed for three or so years, but such is life.

jeremy lechtzin    bevis@ais.org


THE MONKS OF DOOM
_FORGERY_
I.R.S. Records

   "Monks of Doom go major label shock!" OK, so perhaps moving to I.R.S. 
isn't the same as signing a multi-million dollar deal with Time-Warner. 
And while the Monks probably don't have as cozy a contract as former 
Camper Van Beethoven bandmate/current nemesis David Lowery does with his 
band Cracker (on Virgin), recording for I.R.S. is certainly a big step 
up (or down) from the tiny labels of their past.
   This isn't to say Forgery is a sell-out. But it's a more mature album 
than any of the past Monks releases. Gone are the crazy and spacey 
instrumentals of their early albums, when the band was a chance for the 
Monks to let loose and escape the growing pressures of being an indie 
legend in the making.
   After the break-up of the Campers, the Monks wanted to become a full 
fledged band and not a side project. They succeeded with their last 
album, Meridian, which captured the exuberance and energy they've always 
possessed but also polished their wild creativity, by concentrating more 
on singing, lyrics, and tightly crafted melodies. 
   Forgery is a continuation of that process. Anchored by bassist Victor 
Krummenacher's captivating and sometimes disquieting voice, the band 
creates complexity in every song. Not content to have just a catchy 
hook, mandolins may weave in and out of earshot ("Every West Coast band 
needs a mandolin," says friend and CVB alumnus Jonathan Segel); 
sometimes drums and bass abruptly stop and change direction. Greg Lisher 
and David Immergluck continue their fascinating interplay of dueling 
lead guitars on "Cigarette Man," going beyond simple guitar 
pyrotechnics.
   But by using the larger studio budget of I.R.S. to further hone their 
music, the Monks may have gone overboard in trying to contain their 
frenzied creations. Even the jams and instrumentals seem too quiet and 
constrained. The eight minute closing song, "Chaos is not Dead," sounds 
more like distant disorder than all-out anarchy. Hopefully, this seeming 
tranquillity only represents a more melancholy batch of songs, not a 
loss of energy.


BTW, the quote at the beginning of this review is flagrantly plagiarized
from a Bucketful of Brains review of _Our Beloved..._.  Obviously,
substitute "CVB" for "MOD."