The Lemonheads Varshons 2

This one was under the radar but Evan Dando and his latest batch of folks who make up the Lemonheads current lineup just released a new covers album Varshons 2 on Fire Records.. You can also get it on Bandcamp.

 

Does anyone know who the current band members are?

 

Wasn't blown away upon first listen, but this has crept up on me over the last week. A really solid, pleasant record that (sadly) will probably best anything Evan comes up with on his own these days. Anyone else experience the same?

 

Current live line up - Chris Brokaw/guitar, Farley Glavin/bass, and Lee Falco/drums. Not sure exactly who played when the album was recorded.

 

I wouldn't give up on Evan as a songwriter. He must have a stockpile of songs after so many years.

 

I really like the cover of Westerberg's "Things." That's a perfect song for Evan's voice.

 

Is it terrible that I find "Take It Easy" to be one of the highlights?

 

I've got 'Round Here' on repeat - that's probably worse!

 

Like this one too, originally done by lame country band, right?

 

Thank you. Trying to decide if I should go see them or not as they are touring.

 

Brokaw is on the tour, I do know!

 

I saw The Lemonheads last night in London - Evan Dando was in a rather strange manic mood, knocking over guitars, playing drums for the support band, speaking incredibly fast between songs and seemingly forgetting what the hell he was doing from song to song. His bandmates looked on a combination of bemused and at times completely lost. The drummer did a good job, the guitarist didn't seem to know the songs very well, the bass player was devoid of any presence. Despite this there were moments of good music, some of the original songs were played ok, but anytime Evan tried to do 'lead' guitar it was akin to Kurt Cobain purposefully ruining the songs. Big Gay Heart was totally murdered, it was unbelievable. Much of the time Evan was playing on his own, electric guitar switching between clean and distortion at times randomly, songs were started and stopped midway through, noone knew what songs they were. Evan himself was enjoying it all, laughing and joking. It was a though Evan Dando had been unfrozen from a deep sleep around 1996 and let out to play for a couple of hours. His hair and shirt looked good.

Weirdest gig I've ever seen by a big margin!

 

Thanks for the review. Got my ticket -- sounds like I better buckle up.

 

Now I am intrigued. I may have to go.

 

That's too bad. Looking at some of the recent clips on youtube I think he sounds pretty good...but the band is not so hot.

 

It’s my favorite too - great vibe and harmonies

 

I saw him in and around 2005 at Toronto’s Horseshoe Tavern playing solo and he just pretended most of the time there was a band there; often turning around to “jam” with the drummer.

It was an extremely strange show, and he made little sense half the time when he spoke. He also napped at some people talking through his encore song, told them they were rude, and left.

 

He released an EP with a band called the Sandwich Police...good stuff.


NEWS
EVAN DANDO, WILLY MASON & MARCIANA JONES ARE TSP (THE SANDWICH POLICE)
May 24, 2016

“”Evan and I were sitting around a fire talking, when we discovered that we both call the same field on the way to one of our favorite beaches “Africa”. I invited him over to play music the next evening and we have spent most of our spare time together since. At some point we realized that playing music together, and with Willy, made us both really happy.” Marciana Jones

Evan says TSP are a Flying Nun tribute band (The Chills , The Bats, The Verlaines , The 3Ds etc), along with the usual Velvet Underground and 13th Floor Elevators influences. Check out Pink Frost by The Chills for reference.

Tracklisting:

1. Love Yourself
2. Splinters
3. The Credits

 

Thanks- I missed this.

 

Sounds par for the course for Dando...saw the Lemonheads some years ago (mid to late 00’s), and he was a mess...I’m guessing it’s hard to find bandmates when you can’t hold it together onstage...they looked beyond annoyed. He got lost trying to find the stage, got tangled up in his cables and stuck on the ground trying to sing, started and stopped songs randomly...it was uncomfortable to watch. And yet I couldn’t stop watching.

 

Saw Evan & Co. last night (May 7). Surprisingly good, tight show -- blazed thru 25 songs in about 80 minutes. Most of the hits, plus a handful of covers from Varshons 2. Evan was on good behavior, and was fairly gracious to the crowd. HOWEVER anytime he was singing he was staring strangely at a fixed point on the ceiling and almost never wavered the entire night. Kinda disconcerting, but far from the train wreck I was fearing.

 

Not blown away by Varshons 2, nor was I blown away with the last one 10 years ago, but I will probably go see them when they hit Boston at the end of the tour. I've seen Evan/Lemonheads countless times over the decades, but I've stayed away more often than not in the past 10-15 years. Evan's unpredictability started to get more frustrating and less charming as he approached middle age. I love the guy, but I hate to see him not be great. Sometimes he still is.

 

It was a weird gig indeed, Dando had definitely been indulging in one way or another throughout the day. I say that as I saw the tour a week before in Cambridge & Birmingham & he & the band were in fine workman-like mode, blasting through the tunes, feeling like a well oiled unite. Birmingham in particular was outstanding, one of the best times I've ever seen him/them. Then London was a complete mess, it felt like the setlist went out the window & Dando just did whatever the hell he liked. Though after seeing Evan perform over the years I've found out first hand that performances can really be hit or miss. The best times I've seen him is when he barely speaks & rifles through song after song effortlessly, not giving the audience a chance for applause before going straight into the next.

As for Varshons 2, it's alright. There's some nice numbers on there, Evan's voice will always win me over. Though I could have done without the bloody Eagles cover personally. He's been talking about a new album of original material for years now so you'd think he would have some new songs. I personally thought the last record of original work he put out in 2006, the self titled Lemonheads record was pretty damn strong.. though I've not seen him perform anything from that record for years now so I wonder what his feelings are towards it.

 

I remember thinking the same thing at my show -- he'll play songs from his "solo" record but not that one?

 

Exactly! He seems to always find time for 3 or 4 songs from Baby I'm Bored, which I can understand, it was a wonderful record - & of course sets are always going to be leaning towards the Ray & Come on Feel material. But songs like No Backbone, Rule of Three & Pittsburgh definitely don't deserve to be forgotten forever. Perhaps Evan had a bad experience whilst recording the record, a shame as I remember seeing Lemonheads on the tour for that record & he had the drum & bass player from The Descendents & that material sounded excellent in a live setting.