Sunday, March 21, 2010

Thinking Fellers Union Local 282- Admonishing the Bishops



As you've maybe been able to notice, I have a thing for a solid E.P. and I love the way TFUL 282 address their E.P.s. Where most bands try to make solid albums and use E.P.s to get more experimental, TFUL 282 does the opposite.
Coming after the experimental madness of their classic "Mother of All Saints," during the "Alternative Rock" boom of 1993, and on the major for an indie label, Matador (I still say TFUL 282 are the best band ever on that label), this record made a criminally small splash. I know they are far too weird to ever be considered for commercial success, but they deserve the status of indie rock legends far more than label-mates like Pavement, Yo La Tengo, Sleater Kinney, Superchunk, and countless others.
Oh well, just goes to show that originality doesn't get you very far.
The perfect sequence is also something rare, though easier with an E.P. and this one's got it. Each song is unique from every other and show no weakness in composition or delivery. "Hurricane" eases you in and stealthily absorbs the listener leaving the frantic "Undertaker" to snap you out of the daze and remind you of just how versatile a band CAN really be. Finding one as good at that sure isn't common.
"Million Dollars," in turn, effectively reduces the intensity...best not to overdo it sometimes. "Father" brings it down further and rounds the record out with another low key completely absorbing song. Great great stuff.
The first time I heard this it was grouped on a CD along with "The Funeral Pudding." The flow between "Father" and "Waited Too Long," is so perfect I was shocked to learn it was accidental. Try it if you've got both....
About this file: Like many CD's from the early/mid 90's, this one was mastered way too quietly. I also despise remastering...seems they just try to make older albums sound more modern, more "today." Yuck.
So I recorded this off my 10" and turned the levels up. Tah Dah.
Less talk, more rock:

http://www.mediafire.com/?jmou5ydznq3

and from their incredible double L.P., 1992's "Mother of All Saints"...

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for the .zip link! Love this EP. "Undertaker" is amazing.

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