Labels: HHBTM
Review by: MH
We’re not averse to writing late reviews so here’s one that was sent in in October last year. I remember putting this on my ipod around that time but somehow managed to run the ipod through the washing machine on a 55-minute cycle so that was the end of that. Luckily it was still on my computer and re-appeared before my very eyes recently. Seeing as this was originally released in 1994 maybe the lateness in reviewing this can be excused. Crayon themselves come from Washington and featured two different vocalists and songwriters – a bit of a parallel to Sebadoh in that sense and the styles here are kind of messy indie pop and a looser, more ragged Nirvana-y punk with distorted guitars and lots of energy. On the more melodic songs like “Crown” I can hear something like Teenage Fanclub but the vocals are kind of all over the place and that’s a big part of Crayon’s charm. The record is middle-heavy for me as the ones I’m clicking repeat on regularly come in a set of songs halfway through – “Crown”, “Western Flyer”, “Pedal”, “Reason2600” and “Snow Globe”. However, it’s all good and Crayon are a band from the 90s that are worth digging up – they don’t sound much like anyone else around these days and it all ends on the goofy and rowdy “Knee-high Susan”. Nice to see it getting a vinyl release for the first time.