Camper Van Beethoven - Tusk remake album – how is it?

[Spikey]

It's kinda fun but if you actually like the Tusk album I doubt you'll enjoy the whole thing as an album. It's part serious and part.. not. For example, they obviously like Lindsey's work and not so much Stevie's (one track her part is done by a vocorder, IIRC).

Most of the tracks I would deem not worth listening to more than once. I think Over and Over was the only one I would say I actually liked.

- Spike

[Richard B]

It should also be noted that Camper Van Beethoven actually worked on this album to see if the band could work together, as there were personnel problems between them, which as some of you know the lead singer started another band, Cracker.

The Tusk reworking album was actually recorded and completed in 1986. The band got together to attempt a third album while on a holiday. While on holiday, the drummer broke his arm skiing, and while holed up there, it was discussed recording the Tusk album, which was part of only a handful of LP's they had in 1986 in the cabin. CVB was no stranger to covering other acts, they proved their knack for re-arranging material (by such acts as Black Flag and Sonic Youth).

The tapes were lost, but found in 2000. In 2001 they repaired/reconstructed the tapes and they deemed it worthy of a release, finally.

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by Spikey

It's kinda fun but if you actually like the Tusk album I doubt you'll enjoy the whole thing as an album. It's part serious and part.. not. For example, they obviously like Lindsey's work and not so much Stevie's (one track her part is done by a vocorder, IIRC).

Most of the tracks I would deem not worth listening to more than once. I think Over and Over was the only one I would say I actually liked.

- Spike

You're right... it's quite obvious they have a respect for Lindsey... and some of Christine's material to a lesser degree. They greatly lampooned Stevie on Sara, and especially Sisters Of The Moon. But I think it was done in a really intelligent way... the original songs, while amazing, are absolutely self indulgent in an extraordinarily massive way. Camper Van Beethoven is simply holding up a mirror, in my opinion. On the other hand, it's quite obvious they liked Storms... their version is really fantastic, I can't stop listening to it. Which makes me happy... I think Storms is lyrically the best song Stevie ever wrote... and at the same time, it's so understated musically.

I could actually listen to this album quite regularly... since I am such a Tusk-ophile. Like I said before... whether or not it was really Camper Van Beethoven's intent, they made huge statements with this album regarding the recording industry, artists, and the general state of popular music. It's snarky, it's fun, and very intelligent in my opinion.

[SuiteShangriLa]

i havent listened to this in a long time. i should dig it out and give it a play...what sticks out in my mind most when i think of this is SOTM and how "bizarre" they made it.

[michelej1]

[Excerpt from the Open Letter]
http://coldfrontmag.com/poets-off-po...matthew-rohrer
Open Letter to Todd Hasak-Lowy by Matthew Rohrer
Published on Friday, November 4th, 2011


OPEN LETTER TO TODD HASAK-LOWY CONCERNING THE FAILED ESSAY CALLED ‘FRESH EARS’ WHICH ENDS WITH A CLOSE READING OF LOVIN’ TOUCHIN’ SQUEEZIN’ BY JOURNEY

November 4, 2011


David Lowery also did another great service to America when he (in Camper Van Beethoven) recorded all of TUSK by Fleetwood Mac. And it’s weird, because it’s definitely tongue-in-cheek and not really a clear act of homage, but I think also you don’t undertake to cover a double-album and emerge from that without having come to some kind of understanding with it. If it were purely malicious you’d just run out of steam. Even Weird Al Jankovic doesn’t go that far.

And the story behind that is great too – Camper Van Beethoven was going to record their 3rd album (the one with Good Guys and Bad Guys) at some mountain cottage and on the 2nd day their drummer broke his leg skiing. So they had all their equipment up there and couldn’t record. And one of their girlfriends suggested they do this cover of Tusk with the rest of the band taking turns on drums.

And anyway, they do the whole thing and they manage to find the greatness in a lot of the songs. They also end up making fun of a bunch of them too. But there are a couple songs on there – Walk A Thin Line, That’s All For Everyone, Think About Me – that come out the other end of their mangling sounding like they really should: catchy, emotional, great songs. When all of the over-large Fleetwood Mac personalities are stripped away and you don’t have to think about Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks and see them in your mind, you can hear the songs as if for the first time and they’re unbelievably catchy. I mean, there’s a reason Fleetwood Mac was so huge. They could write songs.

[louielouie2000]

Thanks for sharing that, Michele!

For those who may not have had a taste of Camper Van Beethoven's remake of the Tusk album, check out their rendition of Storms. I think it's pretty fantastic myself.

[UndoingTheLaces]

I actually really love their version of Honey Hi. I just love that it sounds totally spontaneous, like they're sitting at a sidewalk cafe and decide to play.

[elle]

Originally Posted by Richard B

The tapes were lost, but found in 2000. In 2001 they repaired/reconstructed the tapes and they deemed it worthy of a release, finally.

yeah, that's the story they made up.

[shackin'up]

Exactly, elle, they made a legend of the story. But what the heck. It's a very interesting take on the whole album, both respectful and ironic, they understood the album and made fun of it. But all musically interesting. It's a coveralbum Lindsey could have made from an Elvis original, if he was forced to do it in a couple of days..

I love it.

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by elle

yeah, that's the story they made up.

Indeed.
PR is an amazing thing.

[michelej1]

[From a Yahoo Article about song covers]

https://www.yahoo.com/music/20-crazy...082856346.html

20 Crazy Covers Albums Rob O'Connor November 21, 2014

15. Camper Van Beethoven - Tusk

When Camper Van Beethoven decided to reform, they did it in high style, by giving the world their song by song recreation of Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk, because what could possibly be more natural to do than take an album legendary for its expense and ambition and attempt it yourself? The end result is long. The traffic noise during “Honey Hi” is essential. I always thought David Lowery reminded me of Stevie Nicks. You too?

[SorcererJP]

It's on Spotify as well: http://open.spotify.com/album/79Yy1CK4rJU1Cp0u3SlRBo

I do have it on CD, haven't played it in ages though ...

[shackin'up]

So it was not recorded in 1986 but in 2002.

[PenguinHead]

I've followed Camper Van Beethoven during their entire career. I have all of their albums and attended one of their shows. I was thrilled when read about them talking about the Tusk album. They weren't really intending to release it the first place: they took task to it as exercise for them because they were intrigued by the album's peculiarity. It's noted in the liner notes that none of the band members wanted to work on Stevie's songs.

I've only listened to the album several times, mostly for curiosity sake. Some of renditions are much better than others. This was never meant to be a serious endeavor. While Rumours had a broad appeal, Tusk had, for some, more influential impact.

[tabruns]

Originally Posted by greendaze5

Did anyone ever buy, or at least hear, the remake of the whole Tusk album (by Camper Van Beethoven). Is it any good?

Roland

I've heard it.....hmm, it was interesting, but they didn't seem to know what to do with Nicks' songs.