The Ditty Bops

Paul Smeenus · 05-05-2013, 09:52 PM

This EP was made from tracks that were recorded during the period of late 2004-2006 but not included on the first two albums that I previously reviewed. Which would usually indicate a lower quality than the albums that the songs weren't selected for, especially when one considers the extremely high start-to-finish quality of the eponymous first album and the brilliant "Moon Over The Freeway". However, this collection of songs really amazed me. These songs were top shelf quality, all of them, and whatever the process was that omitted this little gem from those two great albums, I just love Pack Rat.

Consider the opening track, "Dead And Gone". There was no uploads, at all, of this song. At some point in the future I may upload one of the songs from this EP that I recorded here in Seattle in June 2005 (an appropriately named song I might add), but for now I will only upload this opening track. I don't know the whole story but clearly this is a song about a seriously abusive relationship, made all the more biting and sarcastic by the smiling upbeat tempo and texture of the song

Next is the song I recorded in June 2005 at the Crocodile Cafe in Seattle, the sweet, pretty, and appropriately named "June Gloom". As I said I will upload this recording to YouTube as time allows, with the caveat that, at that show that night, there was some IDIOT standing next to me that would NOT fecking STFU. I was sorely tempted to offer the guy $50 to either shut up or GTFO of earshot of my camcorder, but I didn't.

The next lovely track is "Taking Me The Wrong Way" A very good performance video here, although there's about 30 seconds of intro to skip through

Next is the almost ridiculously charming "Look Outside", even this EP contains one Abby-penned waltz, and as usual it's lovely. I can find no upload of this, even Spotify doesn't have Pack Rat, and it's out of print and next to impossible to find, so unless I decide to upload this (not ruling it out) it's gonna be a case of taking my word for how pretty this song is.

Then, the uber-fecking-delightful title song closes this incomprehensibly under-appreciated (even by Bops fans) EP

Up next: Summer Rains (2008)

05-05-2013, 09:52 PM	#4 (permalink)
Paul Smeenus David Hasselhoff Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Back in Portland, OR Posts: 3,681	Pack Rat (EP - 2007) This EP was made from tracks that were recorded during the period of late 2004-2006 but not included on the first two albums that I previously reviewed. Which would usually indicate a lower quality than the albums that the songs weren't selected for, especially when one considers the extremely high start-to-finish quality of the eponymous first album and the brilliant "Moon Over The Freeway". However, this collection of songs really amazed me. These songs were top shelf quality, all of them, and whatever the process was that omitted this little gem from those two great albums, I just love Pack Rat. Consider the opening track, "Dead And Gone". There was no uploads, at all, of this song. At some point in the future I may upload one of the songs from this EP that I recorded here in Seattle in June 2005 (an appropriately named song I might add), but for now I will only upload this opening track. I don't know the whole story but clearly this is a song about a seriously abusive relationship, made all the more biting and sarcastic by the smiling upbeat tempo and texture of the song Next is the song I recorded in June 2005 at the Crocodile Cafe in Seattle, the sweet, pretty, and appropriately named "June Gloom". As I said I will upload this recording to YouTube as time allows, with the caveat that, at that show that night, there was some IDIOT standing next to me that would NOT fecking STFU. I was sorely tempted to offer the guy $50 to either shut up or GTFO of earshot of my camcorder, but I didn't. The next lovely track is "Taking Me The Wrong Way" A very good performance video here, although there's about 30 seconds of intro to skip through Next is the almost ridiculously charming "Look Outside", even this EP contains one Abby-penned waltz, and as usual it's lovely. I can find no upload of this, even Spotify doesn't have Pack Rat, and it's out of print and next to impossible to find, so unless I decide to upload this (not ruling it out) it's gonna be a case of taking my word for how pretty this song is. Then, the uber-fecking-delightful title song closes this incomprehensibly under-appreciated (even by Bops fans) EP Up next: Summer Rains (2008) Last edited by Paul Smeenus; 08-07-2013 at 01:28 PM.