Tobin Sprout: Moonflower Plastic (Welcome to My Wigwam)

 

Tobin Sprout: Moonflower Plastic (Welcome to My Wigwam)

1997

Matador Records

Format I Own it on : Compact Disc

Track Listing: 1. Get Out Of My Throat  2. Moonflower Plastic (You're Here)  3. Paper Cut   4. Beast Of Souls   5. A Little Odd   6. Angels Hang Their Socks On The Moon   7. All Used Up   8. Since I...  9. Back Chorus  10. Curious Things  11. Exit Planes  12. Little Bit Of Dread   13. Hit Junky Dives  14. Water On The Boater's Back



Oh, shit. I was so focused on keeping the Pollard output straight, I missed a Tobin Sprout solo album., so let's check out 1997's "Moonflower Plastic (Welcome to My Wigwam)"...

 This is where the template for solo Tobin Sprout albums gets solidified. "Carnival Boy" felt more like a GBV album where there were curiously no Pollard songs. It maintained the same rickety, snippet-y, defiantly lo-fi spirit. "Moonflower Plastic" is cleaner and more fleshed out, sporting a warm, mid-fi sound. There are two snippet/songs but they are absolutely the exception since everything else clocks in at around the 3-4 minute range.  

Most of the music is either gently rocking indie pop or dreamy piano pop. It sounds like a big block of pleasurable sound on first listen but the fantastic melodies quickly pop out of the mix at around the second go-round. And there are some doozies here. "Angels Hang Their Socks on the Moon" is a real beauty. It's the aural equivalent of the world's biggest, softest, comfiest blanket ever. Starts out in a woozy rush of lo-fi that establishes the verse melody and when the song finally hits it isn't the cathartic rock that you're expecting but a huge, cathartic easiness if that makes sense. It makes you feel like everything is going to be alright forever. 

The other big one is "All Used Up" which is a power-popper with maybe the most excellent melody I've ever heard. That big, never-ending hook just about takes you head off. Again, a song that I don't think I've ever listened to just once. This always gets at least two consecutive  plays.  If  the ridiculously gorgeous "Hit Junky Dives" were one minute shorter, it would also probably reach "two play" status but the 4-minute running time makes it perfectly satisfying. Damn there's some great stuff on here. When I'm searching for music, songs like "All Used Up" are exactly what I'm looking for. So whenever I do find something of this caliber I tend to play the shit out of it...

Revisiting this, I think I'm going to have to say this is my personal favorite Tobin Sprout solo release. It's so unassuming on first listen, but boy is this some beautifully catchy stuff. Slow moving music has to be really good to maintain my attention, since I'm constantly on the verge of falling asleep, but the melodies on this album are so compelling that it easily carries me through. A quiet masterpiece of simple, understated indie rock that I wish could go on forever. I have no idea why there isn't some deluxe, 5-disc 20th anniversary edition box set coming out this year...C'mon! The Verve's "Urban Hymns" got one! Somebody get on this...

Alright, let's listen to some music. Here's "All Used Up" by Tobin Sprout. Enjoy...

That's right. The rankings. "Moonflower Plastic" is pretty high on my list. I effing love ""Waved Out" but "Moonflower Plastic" gives me such a good feeling whenever I listen to it. The ultimate comfort album. And it gets extra points for not having "Showbiz Opera Walrus" on it. I can't put it above "Propeller" though cos there's no song as great as "Over the Neptune" on it. "All Used Up" comes dangerously close though...

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2. Robert Pollard With Doug Gillard:Speak Kindly of Your Volunteer Fire Department

3. Guided by Voices: Bee Thousand

4.Guided by Voices: Under the Bushes, Under the Stars

5. Guided by Voices: Propeller

6. Tobin Sprout: Moonflower Plastic (Welcome to My Wigwam)

6. Robert Pollard: Waved Out

7. Tobin Sprout: Carnival Boy

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9. Guided by Voices: Same Place the Fly Got Smashed

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12. Guided by Voices: Sunfish Holy Breakfast

13. Robert Pollard: Not In My Airforce

14. Guided by Voices: Mag Earwhig!

15. Guided by Voices: King Shit and the Golden Boys

16. Guided by Voices: Self-Inflicted Aerial Nostalgia

17. Guided by Voices: Vampire on Titus

18. Guided by Voices: Sandbox

19. Guided by Voices: Forever Since Breakfast

20. Guided by Voices: Devil Between My Toes 
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