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Camper Van Beethoven: Tusk
In the Spring of 1986, the members of Camper Van Beethoven went on holiday to relax and to begin writing their third record. The very first day, the drummer broke his arm skiing, and it was then suggested that the group re-record Fleetwood Macs unexpected and offbeat pop opus, Tusk, one of a handful of albums in the cabin they were holed up in. But an entire album by Fleetwood Mac? And a double LP at that? Halfway through the process, a few of the members began doubting the point of it all, but they were outnumbered by those who felt the need to finish what they started. With recording essentially completed after only a couple of days, the project was shelved due to disagreements within the unit, and the tapes were lost until 2000. In 2001, the tapes themselves needed reconstruction, but were afterwards deemed worthy of release. In a way, Tusk now seems like an obvious object of reconstruction for CVB, a band that had proved their knack for re-arranging material (by such acts as Black Flag and Sonic Youth) in strikingly effective ways. The original Tusk, produced largely by Lindsey Buckingham, is full of inventive arrangements and songs of tragic beauty, dealing with a love that is not just lost, but gone forever. Theres much at stake hereemotionally and musically, with a danger of it being mocked by the clever CVB, and occasionally sarcasm appears. But on the whole of it, the unit is serious about the undertaking. Whether its the appropriately haunted rendition of Stevie Nicks Sara, the melancholy approach to Buckinghams pounding What Makes You Think Youre the One, or the passion they bring to Nicks heart wrenching Beautiful Child, its apparent that this is no joke. Then theres the general subverting of an already subversive pop record. From the psychedelic reggae of Angel, and the danceable weirdness of Sisters of the Moon, to the classic CVB stomp of Thats Enough For Me, and the retro-futuristic, electro-psychedelic freak-out in Tusk, theres no shortage of inspired work here. Also check out the amazing segue that links Think About Me and Save Me a Place Lindsey Buckingham himself would be impressed. The concept of an acclaimed band covering an entire double album by another prominent act is an idea that is intriguing in and of itself, but the main issue is always present: can they pull it off? In the case of Tusk, the answer is both yes and no. Fleetwood Macs original album is truly awe-inspiring, and frankly, unbeatable, yet the results are of interest to fans of both groups (the original release has a strong cult following), as the need for comparison is obvious and guaranteed to provoke debate.
This album can be purchased at Insound, Amazon, and CD Universe LEFT OFF THE DIAL's Camper Van Beethoven page About LOTD Contact/Staff Advertise Home All content © LEFT OFF THE DIAL 2001-2005. All rights reserved. |
