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- Artist: Tarkio
- Rating:
- Release Date: January 24, 2006
- Genre: Rock
Review
Omnibus collects all of short-lived alternative rock/country-folk quintet Tarkio's material from 1996 through 1999. The Montana collective led by future Decemberist Colin Meloy released one full-length record (I Guess I Was Hoping for Something More) and an EP (Sea Songs for Landlocked Sailors) of dusty pre-Americana college rock in the wake of the post-R.E.M. '90s that managed to cultivate a loyal regional following, but failed to connect on any national level. Meloy's success with the Decemberists ignited a new interest in the group, resulting in this two-disc treatment from Kill Rock Stars that features both releases in their entirety, as well as demos and B-sides. For the most part, Tarkio sounds like a more pastoral, Fisherman's Blues-era Waterboys version of Meloy's current incarnation, with lyrics wrapped in highly literate imagery and the occasional appearance of banjo and violin. Meloy's faux-British croon is more subdued here, but his obsession with Morrissey and Robyn Hitchcock can be heard creeping into standout cuts like "Neapolitan Bridesmaid" and "Standing Still." At 27 tracks, the whole affair could do with a sizable trimming, as much of the material tends to sound the same, but as far as collections go, Omnibus is the real deal, and a Decemberists' archivist's wet dream. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music GuideTracks
CD 1
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Keeping Me Awake | Colin Meloy | (5:42) | |
| Caroline Avenue | Colin Meloy | (5:31) | |
| Neapolitan Bridesmaid | Colin Meloy | (2:37) | |
| Save Yourself | Colin Meloy | (4:57) | |
| Better Half | Colin Meloy | (3:55) | |
| Eva Luna | Colin Meloy | (5:59) | |
| Kick Around | Colin Meloy | (5:18) | |
| If I Had More Time | Colin Meloy | (3:34) | |
| Sister Nebraska | Colin Meloy | (4:20) | |
| Helena Won't Get Stoned | Colin Meloy | (3:53) | |
| Your Own Kind | Colin Meloy | (5:13) | |
| Candle | Colin Meloy | (6:04) | |
| Standing Still | Colin Meloy | (4:51) |
CD 2
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Devil's Elbow | Colin Meloy | (3:50) | |
| Weight of the World | Colin Meloy | (3:34) | |
| My Mother Was a Chinese Trapeze Artist | Colin Meloy | (4:06) | |
| Mountains of Mourne | Colin Meloy | (3:35) | |
| Tristan and Iseult | Colin Meloy | (3:46) | |
| Never Will Marry | Colin Meloy | (6:23) | |
| This Rollercoaster Ride | Colin Meloy | (5:04) | |
| Following Camden Down | Colin Meloy | (5:07) | |
| Slow Down | Colin Meloy | (4:17) | |
| Annabelle Leigh [#] | Colin Meloy | (3:21) | |
| Carrie [Live] | Colin Meloy | (4:46) | |
| Am I Not Right? [Live] | Colin Meloy | (3:49) | |
| Mess of Me [Live] | Colin Meloy | (4:20) | |
| Goodbye Girl [Live] | (4:00) |
