Cracker - Cracker

After college-radio faves Camper Van Beethoven's 1990 breakup, frontman David Lowery moved from California to Virginia and whittled his music down to its pickup-truck-rock roots. This more basic approach hardly affected Lowery's piss-and-vinegar stance (witness the singles "Teen Angst," "Can I Take My Gun to Heaven?", and "Don't Fuck Me Up [with Peace and Love]"). The combination would take Cracker to near-platinum status with their second album, Kerosene Hat, but this debut makes an equally convincing argument for Lowery's choice. --Rickey Wright Amazon.com

a major correction to the previous review

the front man is david lowry, who was the lead singer/songwriter for camper van beethoven.

the boston based pixies are a whole 'nother genre - frank black and kim deal fronted one of the finest punk outfits of the 80s.

camper v. beethoven is probably best known for 'take the skinheads bowling', but their catalog is much deeper than that novelty song.

'teen angst', the first radio hit for cracker, showed up on this, lowry's first post-camper album. since then, cracker has put out more than half-a-dozen great albums, with lowry's sardonic wit forefront. cracker is still one of the best live shows on the circuit.

if you don't know them, buy a few albums, and check out their live show. they deserve wider recognition. May 12, 2007

Yummy!

This is the first record David Lovering recorded as frontman after spending years playing drums with the Pixies. The songs sound a lot different from the Pixies, and I'm surprised they never let him sing, because he's got a good voice and he writes catchy songs. "What the World Needs Now" is a great toe-tapper (the big single off this record), and there are a whole bunch of other swell numbers. Not to be missed. October 26, 2006

Great Start to Finish

Just a great album of well writen songs, not a bad track on it and some great guitar work by Johnny Hickman. Overlooked album by a great band. February 7, 2006

still great today

I first got this record on tape when it came out in 92 and I liked it a lot then. Today I own it on CD and I love it. This was a great record back then and it's still a great record today. I wish I had a reference to compare it to but I don't. You might say it's part rock, part alt-country. If you like to relax after a hard day with a few beers, I strongly suggest that you check it out. This is beer drinking music at its best. By your seond listen or your fourth beer which ever comes first you will be singing along. August 23, 2005

don't make the same mistake I did

Okay. I admit it: I bought this for "Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)." I still really like the song, but apparently they used up all of their creative lyric-writing abilities on that song because the rest of the album is unimaginitive, dime-a-dozen, waste-of-space, early 90s filler songs. I'm just glad I got this used and didn't pay full price for it. Blech. October 16, 2002

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