Dead Broke / Drunken Sailor (2013)
I'll be the first to admit, I may not be the best person to judge this record as a tribute to Husker Du. I know I'm in the minority, but I've always been more of a Sugar guy. So I'm much, much more familiar with the Sugar records than I am with the Husker Du catalog. That being said, I was really looking forward to this 7" as it paired up a lot of bands that I really like.
The 7" starts off with Unfun and their take on "The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill" and flat out I do not like this. Sure the original is a little blown out and a little shouty, but Unfun really takes it too far and this is just an overblown screaming mess of a song. Tenement, one of my favorite current bands, takes on "Obnoxious" and also takes that song way over the top. It's just a shouting, borderline inaudible pile of fuzz. Things get back on track with Crow Bait's "Dead Set on Destruction," which is the first track you can hear the music and lyrics on. Good production and a catchy take on the original.
Over on the B-side, Bent Outta Shape leads off with "Terms Of Psychic Warfare." it's another one of the highlights of the 7". Nice guitar tones and a clarity missing from a lot of the other songs. The best cover on this 7" is turned in by Dauntless Elite. The chose "I Don't Know What You're Talking About," one of Husker Du's catchier songs, and really took some creative license with it. The Dauntless Elite version puts a real UK/Clash/The Tone spin on the song and manages to make the it their own. Lastly we have another one of my favorites; Your Pest Band from Japan. Their version of Green Eyes is dreamy and swampy and vaguely feels like it was recorded underwater. It's not my favorite thing they've done, but does kind of fit in with their more recent records, which have definitely been heading in this direction.
So, I guess I'm kind of disappointed in this record. The bands that I was most excited to hear didn't live up to my lofty expectations, but bands I wasn't expecting really shined. It's always tough judging a band based on cover songs, so I'll just say it's an interesting record to listen, but maybe not an essential one to own.
V/A - Something To Du 7":
drunkensailorrecords.bandcamp.com/album/husker-du-tribute-7
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