Sheetkickers
"Sheetkickers" sounds like something that would be found on the soundtrack to "Blazing Saddles," if you got no further than the title, that is. The song itself makes no mention of the term, nor does it seem to have anything to do with anything that could reasonably be interpreted as being related to a "sheetkicker." Instead, it's a dark song that begins with a slowly throbbing bass and builds steadily until it emerges as a full-blown rocker.
The song is actually a slowed-down and muscled-up version of an early instrumental Guided by Voices track, "Lion W/Thorn in Paw," released in 2005 as a bonus song on The Return of Milko Waif, the abridged version of the Suitcase 2 boxed set. That song, a peppy little tune with a snaking guitar line as the focus, is nearly indistinguishable as the precursor for "Sheetkickers." As I've written here many times, Robert Pollard is loath to let a good thing go to waste, and he shows that his reappropriation of older material usually results in an improvement; a value-added product, if you will.
It's an interestingly assembled song. Lyrically, it doesn't necessarily cohere, though many of the lines are perfect in as melody-delivery devices, which usually is enough for Pollard. The song is one of only two released tracks in which Pollard mentions the word suicide (the other being "Cheyenne"), in this striking chorus:
and I would like to die with you
I'd like to try but I'm not suicide
and I would like to kill you
but that would suit you fine, I realize
It's also another instance of Pollard very convincingly conveying defiance, singing "and I will not give in an inch, you win before the fight begins. But it's OK - I'm over you," going on to chant "I'm over you" as the song seemingly draws to a close as he reprises the first two lines, "cover your eyes, the light is too bright." After that false ending, however, the band explodes through the speakers and the guitar begins to wail, closely approximating, albeit at a slower tempo, the solo from "Lion W/Thorn in Paw."
According to the Guided by Voices Database, the song was slated for at least three precursors to Under the Bushes, Under the Stars. Oddly, however, it was relegated to bonus track status when it was finally released, part of a six-song 12"EP in the vinyl version of the album, and listed as one of six bonus tracks on the CD version (and thus, not listed on the back cover).
The song is actually a slowed-down and muscled-up version of an early instrumental Guided by Voices track, "Lion W/Thorn in Paw," released in 2005 as a bonus song on The Return of Milko Waif, the abridged version of the Suitcase 2 boxed set. That song, a peppy little tune with a snaking guitar line as the focus, is nearly indistinguishable as the precursor for "Sheetkickers." As I've written here many times, Robert Pollard is loath to let a good thing go to waste, and he shows that his reappropriation of older material usually results in an improvement; a value-added product, if you will.
It's an interestingly assembled song. Lyrically, it doesn't necessarily cohere, though many of the lines are perfect in as melody-delivery devices, which usually is enough for Pollard. The song is one of only two released tracks in which Pollard mentions the word suicide (the other being "Cheyenne"), in this striking chorus:
and I would like to die with you
I'd like to try but I'm not suicide
and I would like to kill you
but that would suit you fine, I realize
It's also another instance of Pollard very convincingly conveying defiance, singing "and I will not give in an inch, you win before the fight begins. But it's OK - I'm over you," going on to chant "I'm over you" as the song seemingly draws to a close as he reprises the first two lines, "cover your eyes, the light is too bright." After that false ending, however, the band explodes through the speakers and the guitar begins to wail, closely approximating, albeit at a slower tempo, the solo from "Lion W/Thorn in Paw."
According to the Guided by Voices Database, the song was slated for at least three precursors to Under the Bushes, Under the Stars. Oddly, however, it was relegated to bonus track status when it was finally released, part of a six-song 12"EP in the vinyl version of the album, and listed as one of six bonus tracks on the CD version (and thus, not listed on the back cover).
Labels: Under the Bushes Under the Stars
posted by John at 5:44 PM
1 Comments:
crazy how the UTBUTS bonus tracks by and large scorch the album itself (however great that album is).
Post a Comment
Links:
Create a Link
<< Home