The long overdue LP by Astoria, Queens' finest; in fact, those who lay off the original import version entitled Goodbye California (on Sarah U.K. and a bit short at eight songs) are strongly rewarded for their patience by getting no less than seven extra tracks here, effectively doubling the album. The extra tracks are culled from the 7" singles that ERP (aka Fred Cornog) issued on his Hell Gate label prior to the album, and some of those are the best things here. Recording at home on his Tascam 388 mini-studio, ERP nevertheless coaxes pristine sounds, letting his playing and singing be the effective, spontaneous element (unlike, say, the ramshackle, often terrific, more rock & roll gutsy Guided By Voices, this sounds like an introspective studio recording, not a live home demo). His lesser material is charming and fragile, beguilingly, simply moving in a "nice summer breeze through my hair yet I'm sort of disconsolate" way. At his best, as in the harrowing "Psychic Whore," he's capable of a dramatic grip of the throat, with taut, perilous riffs descending like an angry rain cloud. Or, as on the infinitely tickling "Make a Deal With the City" and the pretty-into-heavy "Helmet On," he can set a unique mood for his trepidation-filled voice with great results. ERP is a distinctive talent, one who works humble recording methods into decided advantage. Such private admittance to someone's world, sans self-indulgence, is far from plentiful. ~ Jack Rabid, All Music Guide
