It's a Shame About Ray is a classic indie pop album imo. Every single tune is great with "Hannah & Gabi" my favorite.
I saw Evan open for Jay Farrar and Canyon at the Recher in Towson. He was amazing with the little 3 piece band.
I really like a couple of songs, probably the same ones as most other folks, but the songwriting always struck me as spotty, for a band whose strength was supposed to be songwriting. They would probably be well served by a compilation... I'd be curious to follow up on fans' attempts to put one together here. I saw them live once, a great show.
They released a pretty good compilation a few years ago called Laughing All The Way To The Cleaners. It was a double cd and had a lot of their earlier stuff along with selections from their 90's and early 2000's stuff. Of course there are some misses like most hits compilations, but it's a start.
The Shame About Ray CD is the pinnacle, just love Juliana's vocals all over it. She's on several other Lemonheads CDs too, I once collected them all on a mix tape...
Big fan of the albums. Each one has something special going on. Very hit or miss in live situations - sometimes Evan is really on, other times he's... elsewhere. But I'll always be a lifelong follower of his recordings. Consistently great records.
Evan Dando is an underrated guitarist and songwriter. He plays basic, dumb chords, but in fascinating, catchy patterns.
I've always loved The Lemomheads...from the time as a fresh in high school when Mrs Robinson broke to present I know what you mean about them being forgotten...all throughout college ID play Car Button Cloth and I never met anyone else who followed them...it was weird after come on feel came and went, I basically stopped hearing about them... Flash forward to maybe 2004 when Evans baby I'm bored came out, and somehow I mentioned them to my now wife then girlfriends brother and he was like they're my favorite band...and they still are his--he owns every rare thing they've ever put out, etc and seen them 30-40 times conservatively... Anyway I love the band. While car button cloth has a few clunkers (6ix esp) it's to me one of the better 90s records and the one I put on the most...it's a shame about Ray is still the best though I actually really liked Varshons, Evans great with covers and have been anxiously hoping for something new for a long time... All those Evan working with Noel Gallagher--early 2000s that never materialized product, and the on and off Ryan Adams Collabs keep me interested too.... I just want more music Evan has a gift for countrified pop punk, and a freaking fantastic voice...I know he snorted some of his pique years away, but he should be bigger and recognized as a major talent of the 80s/90s...he may have never hit that masterpiece that his talent hinted at for a whole album, but what he did was great, and I have a feeling there's a lot hidden in vaults that with proper editing can have some real gems.
Lovey is underrated; It's a Shame About Ray is perfect. It's just a perfect pop album. He nailed the '90s to the wall with that one.
Varshons was great. It really showed Dando's knack for unexpected covers. The Christina Aguilera cover was really eye opening and was a great showcase for his unique interpretive abilities. I saw them once a few years ago for the its a shame about Ray anniversary. It was a really cool show.
Everything from Lovey is essential Dando is great song writer and has the ability to make cover versions his own Into My Arms is a great example of that.Have seen the band twice over the years and found them amazing but have heard reports of them being dreadful as well the self titled album that came out awhile ago is essential as anything else he has done in the past great stuff
Fantastic band. "It's A Shame About Ray" is a lovely album. Short but sweet. Always makes me feel happy.
I just bought the green vinyl reissue of It's A Shame About Ray, and hate to say the vinyl is noisy as all get out. Fortunately, the levels are high enough that it's mostly noticeable between tracks, rather than during the music, but, still, colored vinyl strikes again, I guess.
Lovey is my favorite, or maybe tied with Car Button Cloth. I saw them a number of times, and got to open for them once. Evan Dando is very underrated. Also, the 96 touring band (that included John Strohm) was unbelievably good.
Haven't played them much lately but I like them yeah. I have "It's a Shame About Ray" and "Come on Feel the Lemonheads". Maybe time for a rediscovery...
I am, but I’m in the distinct minority as I prefer the Taang! era stuff. Creator, with Ben Deily still in the fold and John (Blake Babies) Strohm on drums, is my favorite. I saw the band twice, at an outdoor festival at my alma mater (Rutgers) in ’93, and in NYC at Roseland in ’94. Both shows were just OK. Evan and a buddy of mine duetted on I Will Survive in the karaoke booth after the first show. When they were done, Evan turned to my friend and said, “Hey man, that was good. My name’s Evan.” My friend told him, “Yeah I know, I just watched you play.”
They are a good candy but a little too sour for me. I prefer jolly ranchers. Oh the band? Mrs Robinson is one of my favorite covers ever and some of their music is pretty OK. Somewhere between blind melon and a hard place.
Dando is one of the great songwriters of his generation. I don't find the Lemonheads output (post 1990) "spotty" at all; it's nearly all great. Cover albums usually stink, but Varshons is splendid; imaginative and unexpected choices and with underrated guitar hero John Perry on board.
Wondered if anyone here has a list of B-sides and non-album tracks for The Lemonheads (Lovey era onwards)? Also Evan Dando solo tracks outside of his album? Thanks!
don't wanna get stoned, but I don't wanna not get stoned great stuff Come on Feel and It's a Shame are two of the standout albums of the 90's, for me
