Archers of Loaf: White Trash Heroes

Archers of Loaf: White Trash Heroes

1998

Alias Records

Format I Own it On: Compact Disc

Track Listing: 1. Fashion Bleeds  2. Dead Red Eyes  3. I.N.S  4. Perfect Time  5. Slick Tricks and Bright Lights  6. One Slight Wrong Move  7. Banging on a Dead Drum  8. Smokers in Love  9. After the Last Laugh  10.White Trash Heroes

To date, this is the final Archers of Loaf album. Hopefully, they'll rectify that soon, since they recently reunited to play some shows...

This is an interesting final album. It doesn't quite have a "final album" feel...It seems like they were trying to transition into something different... They do nothing but try on new guises on every track. Eric Bachmann even tries on some new voices. Sometimes I can't even tell if it's him or someone else in the band singing...could be a mix.. The sparse and spooky "Dead Red Eyes" sounds like Neil Young singing (I love when the full band comes in and that incredible, growling bass guitar lurches around the track. Hell yes!). On the post-punk pastiche "I.N.S" it sounds like Ian Curtis has returned from the afterlife to haunt us one last time, and is it just me or is that Neil Diamond crooning the title track?

This isn't exactly my favorite album by the band but oddly enough it's the one I probably find myself reaching for the most now. There's something about all the unanswered questions it presents...it also doesn't hurt that "Fashion Bleeds" is one of the most kick-ass opening tracks ever! I'm a sucker for that ear-splitting keyboard sequence that takes over at the end of the track...I'd probably keep rewinding it if I didn't know "Dead Red Eyes" was coming next...

I was in college back when this was released and I can remember selling some of my other records to buy this one. I was absolutely enamored with "All the Nations Airports" and suddenly saw this in the CD store in the Alpena Mall.

I know most malls are pretty sparsely populated these days, but I'm telling you, the Alpena Mall was totally desolate during the freaking 90's!! Those were boom times, right? I don't even know if they're  still open... Do malls even still have places to buy music?

 Are there still Tape Worlds?

  ...or Camelot Music Stores out there? Where the CD's cost $17.99, or whatever...Haven't seen one in awhile.... Holy shit, blank videotapes used to cost $15.99?!

Well, let's say goodbye to the Archers by playing "Fashion Bleeds."