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- Artist: Camper Van Beethoven
- Rating:
- Release Date: 1986 01
- 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 -"Tracks
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Abundance | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| Cowboys from Hollywood | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| Sad Lovers Waltz | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| Turtlehead | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| I Love Her All the Time | Sonic Youth | Camper Van Beethoven | |
| No Flies on Us | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| Down and Out | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| No Krugerrands for David | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| (Don't You Go To) Goleta | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| Four Year Plan | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| (We're A) Bad Trip | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| Circles | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| Dust Pan | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| Sometimes | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| Chain of Circumstance | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| ZZ Top Goes to Egypt | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| Cattle (Reversed) | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| Form Another Stone | Camper Van Beethoven | ||
| No More Bullshit | Camper Van Beethoven |
