drive like jehu - yank crime: classic or dud?

Nice! Just listened to it again for the first time in quite a while. I love it.

me too, man. and as a native and current San Diegan, it's a big point of pride musically. right up there with Scream Dracula Scream and Automatic Midnight in my personal greatest albums of all-time list, except I'm left wondering why they all had to stick with the boring-ass black-and-white art scheme for their cover designs. I feel like I'm being discriminated against as a non-tattoo-having guy.

I think you will have to talk to Rick about the album art, as he did them all. I personally love his illustration style, and the cover of "Yank Crime" (and "Automatic Midnight" as well) are pretty iconic to me. I just love that humble little ink BOTTLE and spilled ink so much. And yeah, you should be proud San Diego had some sick shit going on at that time and of course to me this was the best of the best. I can't tell you how meaningful "Automatic Midnight" was for me, as I had waited for another Drive Like Jehu album in vain since 1994. I of course had no idea how they would top "Yank Crime" but sure as hell wanted to see them try. Of course instead it basically ended the band and maybe should have. Not sure they could have takeN those ideas much farther than they did.

I was so happy the first time I heard this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1oLv0hdtFU

Just hearing Rick's voice over a riff like that was a total joy.

Burrito, stereo separation of cymbals on "Luau" is pretty sick! And yeah, the hits are so well placed and artfully done. He is the one that became a chemist after the band I think, which makes sense to me hah hah.

I always forget how good "Sinews" is until I get to it on the album. I think in a way "Sinews" is the song that maybe could have suggested the direction the next album might have gone? Such a cool and patient build to it. I also love the space in it. Not many of there other songs have that concept of "space" in them.

"their"

I think in a way "Sinews" is the song that maybe could have suggested the direction the next album might have gone?

"Sinews" was the first song they ever wrote and recorded as DLJ. It predates their first album and was first released on a comp in 1991 and then re-recorded for Yank Crime.

"Sinews" as a path for exploration, not a temporal signifier as to where they were going. Obviously it holds little water as they stopped making music instead of exploring any of it. Thank you for continuing to take the most specific reading of any comment and jumping on it. Why do you think they revisited the song, re-recorded it, and placed it last on the album?

That question is one that might have a clear answer in an interview or something, but it is an honest one. It is kind of a curious choice considering what you mention about it (it being an older song and one they had release in another form). I mean it could simply be that they wanted another song for the record and weren't happy with the original recording of course.

His artwork for Cargo/Headhunter during the Pitchfork/DLJ years was fantastic imho, though I can see how people aren't into it.

https://i.imgur.com/EoREM4P.png
https://i.imgur.com/WeVS2wN.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/RS6dmwE.png
https://i.imgur.com/N6dM6o7.png
https://i.imgur.com/v0bTewb.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/8d7tXCs.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/wdm7Eyo.jpg

I love Rick's art. I particular love that train one, thanks for posting these.

The old Hot Snakes website was dope. Original Rick art all over it.

Why do you think they revisited the song, re-recorded it, and placed it last on the album?

I have no idea, but both versions do serve as proper band-bookends... kinda like Slint with "Rhoda"?

Interesting point in re the book-ending, as well as the analogue to Slint. It has been way too long since I have listened to "Rhoda," I really love that second version.

I was only kidding about the cover art, of course I love it. All of Rick's. Around the time of the Obits when he had a heart scare, I emailed him to see about buying a painting, but never heard back.

I do distinctly remember hotsnakes.com though! What a treat it was to click there.

30 years old today, reminded of this nice touch that Rick hand drew the katakana for the Japanese obi:

https://i.imgur.com/QB5G4Og.jpeg

^Love that

christ this album is so good

see also ✒ Drive Like Jehu ✒Yank Crime ✒ 20ᴛʜ ANNIV POLL ✒