PINK AND BROWN - SHAME FANTASY II (LOAD 043)

THE DISCOGRAPHY OF WEST COAST ROCKERS PINK AND BROWN IS QUITE CONFUSING. SHAME FANTASY II IS TECHNICALLY A 5 TRACK/10 MINUTE EP. BUT THE CD IS A 22 TRACK COMPILATION OF NEARLY EVERYTHING THEY DID - THE SPLIT EP WITH DEATH DRUG AND THEIR EARLY FIRST ALBUM FINAL FOODS. THEN THERE IS A COMPLETE VERSION ON JOHN DWYER'S OWN LABEL WITH A BONUS TRACK UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME. IT'S LIKE TRYING TO NAVIGATE THE FALL'S DISCOGRAPHY IN THE PERIOD WHERE MES GOT DIVORCED AGAIN.

HERE WE REVIEW JUST THE 5 TRACK EP AND IGNORE ALL ELSE.

THIS ONE KICKS MORE ASS THAN THEIR HALF OF THE SPLIT. IT'S BEEFIER AND IT CLIMBS OUT OF THE GARAGE ROCK GHETTO BUT WITHOUT QUITE JUMPING INTO BED WITH THE DAYGLO ACID CRAZED MANIA OF LIGHTNING BOLT AND THE FORCEFIELD KREW. NO NOISE INTERLUDES. JUST STRAIGHT-UP KICKBUM SONGWRITING. I THINK THAT'S WHY JOHN DWYER EVENTUALLY FOUND "PROPER" SUCCESS: HE WRITES SONGS, BASICALLY, EVEN IF THEY ARE DRAWING FROM SOURCES BEYOND THE PURVIEW OF WHATEVER'S COOL RIGHT NOW.

 

IT MAKES SMART FINANCIAL SENSE TO GRAB HOLD OF THE 22 TRACK VERSION OF THIS BUT WITHIN THE RUN-TIME SHAME FANTASY II IS DEFINITELY THE HIGHLIGHT. DWYER ENDED THIS PROJECT SHORTLY AFTER THIS BUT KEPT IN WITH OTHER MINIMAL/BASS-FREE GUITAR PROJECTS THAT DIDN'T SOUND MUCH LIKE PINK AND BROWN. AS WE SHALL SEE!