DrOp NineTeens-Delaware

Artist: Drop Nineteens
Album: Delaware
Release: 1992
Label: Caroline/Hut

Tracklist:

1. Delaware
2. East It Halen
3. Winona
4. Kick The Tragedy
5. Baby Wonder's Gone
6. Happen
7. Reberryrememberer
8. Angel
9. Aquarium
10. (Plus Fish Dream)

Drop Nineteens are a band that lacked any real originality or even self-identity. They rode the shoegaze wave at its height (they are American, after all) with Delaware, then followed it up with some tepid indie rock on their sophomore album whose name escapes me, fortunately breaking up before they could do any further harm to their B-rate reputation.

Still, this first album of theirs is well worth hearing. Sure, for every brilliant moment there are three boring and/or uninspired ones, but some of the good outshines the bad. Their particular brand of shoegaze jocks equally from My Bloody Valentine, Swirlies, and Th' Faith Healers, sometimes working the theft into something great. The best example of this is "Winona," which is one of the best shoegaze songs ever recorded. It's totally a hit! I love this song with every fiber of my being and the line about Xanadu makes me laugh everytime I hear it.

Nothing quite comes close to the perfection of "Winona," but there are other highlights. The nine-minute "Kick the Tragedy" is SUCH a MBV rip-off, but it's still incredible if you can get past the chilly spoken word section. "Ease It Halen" is pretty sick too, as well as the cover of Madonna's "Angel." Not much else REALLY sticks out to me and I find myself skipping around on the album more than listening to it all the way through. For what it's worth, I do know that some people love this record. I just think it's hit-or-miss.

Check it out for "Winona" alone. And, while you're at it, "Kick The Tragedy."

http://www.mediafire.com/?qztk12g43lt