Box Office Bomb

• Artist: Dramarama
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1989 01
• Total Time: 71:57
• Type: Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Rock

Review

Blessed and cursed with the cult classic "Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)" -- it became the group's calling card, though many music fans never took the time to look beyond that one song -- the band moved to Southern California and created its inspired follow-up to Cinema Verite. Tongue firmly in cheek regarding the title, Box Office Bomb still lived up to its name as it didn't create as much of a buzz as Dramarama's debut, keeping the group's West Coast following more than happy while unfortunately never doing much elsewhere in the world. Regrettably so, for Box Office Bomb is another strong blast of energetic classic rock-via-punk treats that shows the band still in outrageously good form. Lyrically reflecting the group's transplantation to Hollywood's environs in more ways than one, including the album's slamming lead single "It's Still Warm," an unsure, uneasy reflection on their new locale and the cost it incurred, musically Box Office Bomb otherwise stayed true to its roots. Once or twice the band sounded like it wanted to aim for huge venues -- the brilliant opener "Steve and Edie" sounds like what would happen if U2's guitar pyrotechnics were transferred to a less full-of-itself outfit -- and a few songs sound like semi-retreads of Cinema Verite tracks. For the most part, though, this is intelligent but never pretentious red-blooded rock that avoids gravelly rootsiness in favor of flash and style, worth every note. Standouts include the clearly Stooges-inspired "Spare Change" and the smart ghost-of-Blondie rush of "Out in the Rain." Rhino's reissue of the album is the equal to its similar revival of Cinema Verite; besides more entertaining liner notes, six bonus tracks appear, including a great demo take on the later Stuck in Wonderamaland standout "Last Cigarette" and a solid cover of the New York Dolls' "Private World." ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Steve & Edie	John Easdale	Dramarama	(5:05)
New Dream	John Easdale	Dramarama	(3:29)
Whenever I'm With Her	John Easdale	Dramarama	(3:08)
Spare Change	John Easdale	Dramarama	(3:15)
400 Blows	John Easdale	Dramarama	(3:51)
Pumping (My Heart)	Jay Dee Daugherty, Ivan Král, Patti Smith	Dramarama	(3:15)
It's Still Warm	John Easdale	Dramarama	(3:53)
Out in the Rain	Julie Miller, John Easdale	Dramarama	(4:13)
Baby Rhino's Eye	John Easdale	Dramarama	(5:01)
Worse Than Being Myself	John Easdale	Dramarama	(5:26)
Modesty Personified	John Easdale	Dramarama	(4:01)
Hitchhiking [*]	Willie "Loco" Alexander	Dramarama	(3:10)
Private World [*]	David Johansen, Arthur Kane, Arthur Harold Kane, Johansen	Dramarama	(3:37)
Last Cigarette [Alternate Take][#][*][Demo Version]	John Easdale	Dramarama	(4:22)
Would You Like [*][Demo Version]	John Easdale	Dramarama	(4:36)
Worse Than Being Myself [*][Demo Version]	John Easdale	Dramarama	(5:13)
It's Still Warm [Original Unedited Version][*]	John Easdale	Dramarama	(6:22)

Credits

John Easdale (Voices), Tom Jamison (Photography), Peter Wood (Guitar), Ken Lesnik (Project Assistant), Mark Ettel (Engineer), John Scarpati (Cover Art Concept), Greg Dwinnell (Liner Notes), David Landau (Project Assistant), Chris Carter (Cover Art Concept), Greg Dwinnell (Supervisor), John Easdale (Producer), Theothorous Athanasious Ellenis (Keyboards), Bryan Rackleff (Design), Chris Carter (Guitar (Bass)), John Scarpati (Photography), David McLees (Supervisor), John Easdale (Cover Art Concept), Mark Ettel (Mixing), Chris Carter (Producer), Bill Inglot (Remastering), Ted Myers (Project Assistant), Coco Shinomiya (Art Direction), Gary Peterson (Research), Chris Carter (Arranger), John Easdale (Arranger), Geoff Sykes (Remastering), Mark Ettel (Producer), Bob Leafe (Photography)

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