Camper Van Beethoven-- Classic or dud?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phMv_db7Mgc

"Take The Skinheads Bowling" sounding really good to me today for some reason.

Wish the last couple of albums had been better. New Roman Times was awesome.

I was blasting She Divines Water on the way to work last week. Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart and Key Lime Pie are where it's at.

Key Lime Pie is super underrated by the people who rate things.

Listening to those late 80s albums it’s noticeable how melodic and imaginative Victor Krummenacher’s bass lines are

Not to mention Crispy Dersen’s drums! ESP on OBRS. Fuggin Xgau lambasting them for not having “chops”.

All Her Favorite Fruit may be my all time Camper jam. But that changes a lot because they have many excellent jams.

Saw them playing a split gig with Cracker a couple of years ago and they've still got it. Very good show. It was just weird seeing Camper open for Cracker when we know who the better band is.

Anyone who has ever heard the Monks of Doom know these guys have chops. I got to see one of their shows to, like, 20 people a couple of years ago, and it was a blast.

Who underrates Key Lime Pie? Maybe by indie snobs because it was the breakthrough "hit," but it's great, maybe my favorite. I think it's such a cool sounding record, and Pedersen's drums in particular are crazy good.

I'm trying to think if I'd consider any of their (prime) albums underrated. They're just all so full of good stuff.

3rd, 4th and 5th albums are my faves, but yes this band is all time to me, two of the best live shows I've ever seen

I have to shout out Anthony Guess's drumming on Telephone Free Landslide Victory, which I'm weirdly obsessed with. It's a small kit--I just hear snare, kick, and hi-hat--but the drumming is super-tight and dynamic, and my GOD the fills! Especially on the ska instrumentals like Yanqui Go Home, Border Ska, etc. Every time I listen I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for the next drum fill, and every time he just nails it in the tastiest way possible:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWIbHcHDuII
This is such fun music!

Is he the only drummer on the first one? I think Lowery and Chris Molla play drums on some stuff, too.

I was just driving around and heard this hit by the Village Stompers and suddenly had CVB deja vu!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBOT6dfnerc

These guys have been my favourite "new-to-me" discovery this year. When I Win the Lottery is my most played song of 2020 according to Apple Music.

There's not a stinker in the catalog all the way up to their breakup. The only challenge is navigating the various Pitch-a-Tent reissues, since there are so many different track lists and bonus cuts.

Is there worthwhile stuff on the bonus tracks? I've got everything they put out and when they reissued those I didn't bother. But it itches at me that there's more stuff out there that I haven't heard.

I like everything up to La Costa Perdida.

Oh, belatedly, yeah, there are all sorts of good nuggets hidden in there. Lotta goofs, medleys, covers, different versions. The reissue sequencing is indeed a mess, though.

I just came across this great profile of the band in Rolling Stone in 1988:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/camper-van-beethovens-notes-from-the-underground-82927/