Lagwagon Duh (Remastered) |
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 | Tracklist:
Disc 1
1. Tragic Vision
2. Foiled Again
3. Bury The Hatchet
4. Angry Days
5. Noble End
6. Child Inside
7. Bad Moon Rising
8. Beer Goggles
9. Parents Guide To Living
10. Mr. Coffee
11. Of Mind And Matter
12. Stop Whining
13. Lagwagon
14. Demented Rumors
15. Noble End (Early Version)
16. Angry Days (Acoustic)
Disc 2:
1. Super Big Demo Radio Spot
2. Color Blind
3. Parents Guide To Living (Demo)
4. Beer Goggles (Demo)
5. Child Inside (Demo)
6. Foiled Again (Demo)
7. Noble End (Demo)
8. Life Without You
9. Bury The Hatchet (Demo)
10. The Bonus Ballad Of Bilbo Baggins
11. Freedom Of Choice
12. Demented Rumors (Demo)
13. Stop Whining (Demo)
14. No Hard Feelings
15. Truth And Justice
16. Lost In Another Time
17. No Conviction
18. Holy Shit
19. Goleta Shuffle
20. Jaded Ways
21. Tragic Vision (Demo)
22. Runs In The Family
Release Date: 11/21/2011 | |
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On 1 Lists
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| Summary: This is the version of Duh that every fan will want to own. |
Lagwagon is easily one of the best punk bands to come out of the early nineties, and their albums are finally receiving the remaster-and-reissue treatment. For those that don’t know, Duh was Lagwagon’s debut album and featured a very unrefined version of what they would eventually become. It was an album that flirted with serious topics and random humor without any real sense of direction, but it worked. The music itself was raw punk rock with the occasional off-kilter moment, and featured Joey Cape at his grittiest. Of course it also featured a few awkward moments, songwriting that didn’t always seem to reach its potential and a very thin sound overall, but these quirks were mostly endearing. Anyway, on this 2011 reissue of the album, the thin sound has been updated and comes with a bonus disc full of demos and early unreleased tracks.
The first disc is mostly comprised of the original album (in its new remastered form), and it sounds great. The guitars aren’t nearly as thin as they once were and the whole thing seems to have a much fuller sound. That doesn’t mean that these songs suddenly sound as crisp and clear as anything on Resolve or even the original version of Trashed, but they’re still much better than the originals. The main remaining issue is that the thin drum sound is still present, and that some people might still be turned off by the album’s work-in-progress songwriting approach. On the other hand, it was that youthful exuberance that led to such classics as “Beer Goggles” and “Mr. Coffee” – and who can dismiss the fun train wreck that was their cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising”. The first disc ends with three unreleased tracks, including an acoustic version of “Angry Days” and a previously unreleased track entitled “Demented Rumors”. “Demented Rumors” definitely displays a darker side of Lagwagon due to the clean guitar tone in places and lyrical subject matter, and kind of shares a common spirit with The Offspring’s “Dirty Magic”.
Despite Duh’s improved sound and the inclusion of three unreleased tracks, the second disc will probably be the most interesting for long time fans. This disc gives fans a rare glimpse into the band’s earliest days through the inclusion of rare unreleased tracks and early demos. Surprisingly, the band started life as an angry, abrasive metal/hardcore crossover band. It’s almost a little unsettling to hear the (generally articulate) Joey Cape screaming “***ing bitch!” over metal riffs on “Jaded Ways” or yelling with unbridled anger on the original metal version of “Tragic Vision”. Even the demo versions of tracks such as “Beer Goggles” and “Foiled Again” that were recorded closer to the actual recording of Duh feature a much angrier and in-your-face approach than the versions that eventually made the album. It’s definitely very cool to hear the band’s songs as they were initially envisioned, before they were stripped down for easy punk rock consumption. For example, the demo version of “Bury the Hatchet” features an additional minute of music that includes a pretty soaring guitar solo, and a few additional musical flourishes.
Lagwagon are easily one of the best punk bands to come from the nineties scene and this reissue was a long time coming. The remastered version of Duh manages to fix most of the minor sound issues that plagued the original album and would have been worth the (re)purchase price all on its own, but the inclusion of a second disc full of unreleased tracks and alternate demo versions makes acquiring this album a no-brainer. The original tracks sound re-invigorated (minus the same basic drum sound) and the second disc is full of surprises. In the end, this is the version of Duh that all fans of Lagwagon will want to own.
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 4.5
Tragic Vision (Original Metal Version):
http://www.myspace.com/lagwagon/music/songs/tragic-vision-demo-84806252
If you have Spotify, the full 2-disc album is on there.
Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/4dozi9MXMCXoyIOLtOQJqZ
Digging: Art By Numbers - Reticence: The Musical | | |
umm... wow
i need this
Digging: The Dopamines - Vices Digging: The Dopamines - Vices
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Lagwagon is awesome. I've heard one or two tracks off this, but never the whole thing. I may end up checking this out. Good review.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Awesome
Digging: Joy Division - Closer Digging: Joy Division - Closer | | |
nice
Digging: Bjork - Vespertine
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Beer Goggles
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yessss
Digging: Dr. Dog - Be The Void
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I was just thinking to myself the other day that this could use a reissue. Great slice of 90s punk.
Digging: Black Moon - Enta Da Stage Digging: Black Moon - Enta Da Stage
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"Color Blind" rules, why has it been hiding for 20 years?
Digging: Andross - Stay In The Suit
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never really listened to lagwagon cept for a few songs guess i should pick this up
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yea fun band
Digging: Gary Glitter - kiddy diddler Digging: Gary Glitter - kiddy diddler
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kris, listen to their live in a dive.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
"Color Blind" does rule, but there are a lot of other cool songs on that second disc.
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willie review energetic disassembly, this is an order
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Will do.
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nah just wondering if you were going to cos i would review it but you'd do a way better job so
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I didn't plan on it, but I can.
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lagwagon is easily one of the best punk bands to come out of the early nineties
Digging: Frodus - And We Washed Our Weapons In The Sea
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This looks awesome.
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If this wasn't so well endorsed I'd say it looked horrible.
Always nice to see a review from you Willie!
Digging: Lemuria (BE) - Tales, Ale, and Fire Digging: Lemuria (BE) - Tales, Ale, and Fire
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