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II & III

 
Album Review: II & III

  • Artist: Camper Van Beethoven
  • Rating: StarStarStarHalf Star
  • Release Date: 1986 01
  • Type: Compilation (best of)
  • Genre: Rock

Review

Admittedly, it's understandable to see why CVB's sense of humor rubbed some people the wrong way. Titling a second album II & III and sprinkling it with songs titled "ZZ Top Goes to Egypt" and "No Kruggerands for David" sounds more like a parody of rock rather than rock itself. That never stopped Pavement, though, and on II & III, CVB sounds as inventive and unexpectedly inspired as before, mashing its influences together into a delightful brew. However, this time the band sounds a touch more straightforward; new member Chris Pederson's drumming sounds stronger, providing a good pace throughout and pumping up the energy on "Down And Out." Wigginess abounds musically and lyrically -- "Cowboys from Hollywood" sounds like an amped-up honky-tonk, and following it with the on-the-level country of "Sad Lovers Waltz" fits whatever master plan there was. Lowery doesn't sing lead as much this time out; he's still the primary singer, but often is accompanied by most of the rest of the band as well. But as always, Segel is the wild card with violin and nutty keyboards ahoy. There's some refreshing iconoclasm at play -- years before Sonic Youth became 'the legendary Sonic Youth,' CVB took that group's "I Love Her All the Time" and transformed its New York art angst into a kick-up-your-heels bit of yee-haw ska. It's worth hearing for Lowery and company's vocal drawls alone. The album concludes with the hilarious "No More Bullshit," mixing wanky solos with repetitive punk-rock slogans and strange comments -"Elvis Presley died! And no one knows why!" ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Abundance Jonathan Segel, Victor Krummenacher, Greg Lisher, David Lowery, Chris Molla Camper Van Beethoven
Cowboys from Hollywood Jonathan Segel, Victor Krummenacher, Chris Molla, Greg Lisher, David Lowery Camper Van Beethoven
Sad Lovers Waltz Jonathan Segel, Greg Lisher, David Lowery, Chris Molla, Victor Krummenacher Camper Van Beethoven
Turtlehead Chris Molla, David Lowery, Jonathan Segel, Greg Lisher, Victor Krummenacher Camper Van Beethoven
I Love Her All the Time Sonic Youth Camper Van Beethoven
No Flies on Us Victor Krummenacher, David Lowery, Jonathan Segel, Chris Molla, Greg Lisher Camper Van Beethoven
Down and Out Jonathan Segel, Victor Krummenacher, Chris Molla, Greg Lisher, David Lowery Camper Van Beethoven
No Krugerrands for David Greg Lisher, Chris Molla, David Lowery, Victor Krummenacher, Jonathan Segel Camper Van Beethoven
(Don't You Go To) Goleta Chris Molla, David Lowery, Jonathan Segel, Greg Lisher, Victor Krummenacher Camper Van Beethoven
Four Year Plan David Lowery, Chris Molla, Jonathan Segel, Victor Krummenacher, Greg Lisher Camper Van Beethoven
(We're A) Bad Trip Victor Krummenacher, David Lowery, Greg Lisher, Jonathan Segel, Chris Molla Camper Van Beethoven
Circles David Lowery, Greg Lisher, Victor Krummenacher, Jonathan Segel, Chris Molla Camper Van Beethoven
Dust Pan Jonathan Segel, Chris Molla, Greg Lisher, Victor Krummenacher, David Lowery Camper Van Beethoven
Sometimes Chris Molla, Greg Lisher, Victor Krummenacher, Jonathan Segel, David Lowery Camper Van Beethoven
Chain of Circumstance Victor Krummenacher, Jonathan Segel, David Lowery, Greg Lisher, Chris Molla Camper Van Beethoven
ZZ Top Goes to Egypt Greg Lisher, David Lowery, Victor Krummenacher, Jonathan Segel, Chris Molla Camper Van Beethoven
Cattle (Reversed) Jonathan Segel, Chris Molla, Greg Lisher, Victor Krummenacher, David Lowery Camper Van Beethoven
Form Another Stone Jonathan Segel, Victor Krummenacher, David Lowery, Chris Molla, Greg Lisher Camper Van Beethoven
No More Bullshit Victor Krummenacher, Greg Lisher, David Lowery, Chris Molla, Jonathan Segel Camper Van Beethoven

Credits

Chris Molla (Pedal Steel), Greg Lisher (Guitar), Victor Krummenacher (Bass), Chris Pedersen (Drums), Chris Molla (Guitar), David Lowery (Vocals), Victor Krummenacher (Vocals), Jonathan Segel (Violin), Camper Van Beethoven (?)
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Wikipedia: II & III
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II & III
Studio album by Camper Van Beethoven
Released January, 1986
Genre Alternative
Length 44:13 (original)
55:43 (2004 reissue)
Label Pitch-A-Tent
Professional reviews
Camper Van Beethoven chronology
Telephone Free Landslide Victory
(1985)
II & III
(1986)
Camper Van Beethoven
(1986)

II & III is a 1986 album by musical group Camper Van Beethoven, released on Pitch-A-Tent and Rough Trade. It was the band's second album.

After releasing their debut album, original drummer Anthony Guess left the band, and guitarist Greg Lisher joined. With the band temporarily lacking a drummer, guitarist Chris Molla played many of the drum parts on 'II & III', with singer/rhythm guitarist David Lowery playing some of the drum parts as well. As the album was being finished, they finally found a permanent replacement for Guess with Chris Peterson, who ended up playing on only one song, "We're a Bad Trip."

The album also found violinist/multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Segel singing lead vocals for the first time, on the tracks "Chain of Circumstance" and "We're a Bad Trip," the latter which featured him and Lowery trading verses.

II & III found the band already moving past the mixture of faux ethnic instrumentals and absurdist folk-pop-punk tunes of their debut album, for an even more eclectic sound, including elements of Americana, psychedelia, and Middle-Eastern music. Molla played steel guitar on some songs, and Segel played mandolin, adding to the country influences. There are relatively fewer instrumentals, with the vocal songs taking on many of the ethnic elements that were contained on the debut album's instrumental numbers.

It contains several notable songs, especially "Sad Lover's Waltz," a slow alt-country number that did much to dispel the band's then-image as a novelty band. Another Americana-style song was a bluegrass-influenced cover of "I Love Her All The Time" by Sonic Youth, which continued the band's traditions of doing countrified versions of punk and alternative songs. The more humorous "We're A Bad Trip" and the semi-instrumental spaghetti-Western number "Cowboys From Hollywood" are also among the album's more enduring tunes.

Contents

Track listing

Original 1986 version

Side one

  1. "Abundance" - 2:53
  2. "Cowboys from Hollywood" - 0:43
  3. "Sad Lovers Waltz" - 4:03
  4. "Turtlehead" - 1:16
  5. "I Love Her All the Time" - 2:16
  6. "No Flies on Us" - 1:46
  7. "Down and Out" - 1:35
  8. "No Krugerrands for David" - 2:32
  9. "(Don't You Go To) Goleta" - 1:21
  10. "4 Year Plan" - 1:49

Side two

  1. "(We're A) Bad Trip" - 2:32
  2. "Circles" - 2:52
  3. "Dust Pan" - 1:54
  4. "Sometimes" - 2:37
  5. "Chain of Circumstance" - 2:27
  6. "ZZ Top Goes to Egypt" - 3:07
  7. "Cattle (Reversed)" - 2:50
  8. "Form Another Stone" - 2:09
  9. "No More Bullshit" - 3:08

2004 CD reissue

  1. "Abundance" - 1:53
  2. "Cowboys from Hollywood" - 1:43
  3. "Sad Lovers Waltz" - 4:03
  4. "Turtlehead" - 1:16
  5. "I Love Her All the Time" - 2:16
  6. "No Flies on Us" - 1:46
  7. "Down and Out" - 1:35
  8. "No Krugerrands for David" - 2:32
  9. "(Don't You Go To) Goleta" - 1:21
  10. "4 Year Plan" - 1:49
  11. "Devil Song (Original Version)" - 2:07
  12. "Vampire Club" - 4:11
  13. "(We're A) Bad Trip" - 2:32
  14. "Circles" - 2:52
  15. "Dust Pan" - 1:54
  16. "Sometimes" - 2:27
  17. "Chain of Circumstances (Replacement Version)" - 2:37
  18. "ZZ Top Goes to Egypt" - 3:07
  19. "Cattle (Reversed)" - 2:50
  20. "Form Another Stone (Replacement Version)" - 2:09
  21. "Circles Dub" - 2:49
  22. "(We're A) Bad Trip (Original Version)" - 2:46
  23. "No More Bullshit" - 3:08
  • Tracks 11-12 and 21-22 are bonus tracks.

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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
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