I don't think I really need to give you my theory about compilations again, so I'll spare you the lecture. Kill Rock Stars has released some defenitive compilations in their time, most notably the "Kill Rock Stars" series that came out in the early 1990s and defined a scene that couldn't really be defined. The music on those compilations ran from pretty to weird to interesting to just plain bad, with several of those 'bands' being nothing more than side projects who released only one song.
Tracks & Fields is the second volume of this century's Kill Rock Stars sampler, all of which are two disc affairs.. At first I was going to pan it, because many of these songs are simply unlistenable, but then I remembered back to those days ten years ago and I realized that, really, nothing's changed. There are some really killer tracks--His Name is Alive's Marvin Gaye-indebted "Peace In Detroit" and Superchunk's "Everyone Gets Crushed" are the third and fourth songs on the collection, and those two tracks make this album worth your hard-earned cash. There are some other great songs on here by new label acts pAper chAse and Nedelle, as well as Bro. Danielson, Gas Huffer, Devendra Banhart, Cynthia Dall and Laura Veils. There are some surprises, too--such as a great new song by Dos and a rather awesome cover of "Rockaway Beach" by Sahara Hotnights. (I won't tell you about the songs that close both discs, but believe me--they're stunners!)
Several people I've never heard of have some great songs, too. I've really fallen for the new-wave casio fun of The Capricorns' "Steve & Tiffany," and I really enjoyed Brooke's folkie "Inside Out" definitely makes me want to hear more. And is that the legendary Kim Thompson playing with a band called Sweet Heat? I really dug their track "Oh Johnny." I'm most taken with The Charades, a teenage band from Spain who play some really excellent pop music, and the Wiretaps' "TV Life" is a great rocker that sounds like not only a great band of Kill Rock Stars past, but they could easily be next year's star. And like most comps, for every excellent new band you discover, you'll soon find a band or two whose song you'll only listen to onc. Many of these songs--starting from John Wilks Booze up through to the pAper chAse's track on the second disc--could be removed and you wouldn't miss it. And what's with starting these comps with really terrible songs? I'm sorry, Everett True may be a talented and funny writer, but his music leaves much to be desired.
Still, don't let the crap get you down; there's plenty to love here, even if you have to sit through some things that might not be up your alley. There's something for everyone to love on Tracks & Fields, and that's all that Kill Rock Stars wanted to do. Give 'em a high-five, give 'em your money, and support this talented scene! (Note to Slim Moon: please please please give us MORE records by those really great unknown bands!)
--Joseph Kyle
Label Website: http://www.killrockstars.com
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