[koolthing78]

For those of you that have heard it, were there 9 tracks or 10? I came across a site where I could buy the whole album for like $1.21, so of course I did; but it was missing the 9th track (the "Ohio R." one). Did I find the most recent "pared-down" version, or will the actual CD (which I still plan on buying) have that one on it? In any event, it's a bit of an adjustment for me to hear this after only being introduced to their work via the fuller-sounding "Boss" (I know, I know--but I'm not even pretending to be "hip" and "underground")--but it's definitely growing on me. The darkness is there, but it's sparse and much more subtle (which in a way makes it almost *more* dark (or does it? (etc.))). Not to harp on old news (hey, I don't get out much and have limited reference points), but to me there's a kind of similarity in terms of intent and understatement between this and The Breeders' "Mountain Battles"--almost like the things that make it harder to like may have been done intentionally, which may add to the meaning (but there's always that slight level of uncertainty (or is that just me? (Jeez, I need to stop doing that (but ps: that's why "Psychosomatic" really fucks with me))). For example, "Risperdal" has this potential to be incredibly catchy and anthemic, but the production makes it sound thick and fuzzy and dull. But that's kind of what Risperdal is supposed to do (and the fact that other tracks are much more crisp show that it's not just accidental "lousy" production). And "The Ricercar of Dr. Clara Haber" seemed totally pointless, until I looked up what "ricercar" meant, who Clara Haber was, and realized that in the stretching, fumbling sounds were the beginnings of the killer riff in the next song (if you listen close enough (or is that in my head, too?)). Anyway, it's like a puzzle, and something that a chronic over-analyzer can get lost in. (And by the way, the radio show I heard "7/23" on had the title wrong--it was actually "State Number" they played (and I only *just* noticed the distorted, ghostly voice singing along faintly with Elisa during the last chorus--pretty fucked-up sounding...))