Jarred Up

by Mecca Normal

Overview

Besides their albums, Mecca Normal released a variety of singles in its first few years, not to mention contributing to a wide variety of compilations. Jarred Up brings together 22 otherwise unavailable songs recorded between 1987 and 1993, making for a great collection and a handy starting point for any newcomer to the band. Many of Mecca Normal's highlights didn't appear on the album, so in lieu of a greatest-hits compilation, this easily does the honors. What's especially neat is hearing the occasional experiments and different approaches that also crop up. One of the first songs is "Man Thinks Woman," which besides being one of Smith's sharper analyses regarding gender relations and roles (the mid-song spoken word break is both funny and pointed) is notable for featuring Lester on acoustic guitars rather than his standard electric. After that initial surprise, further examples appear: the folk/country hybrid "He Didn't Say" (with Smith on slightly ghostly, reverb-heavy vocals), backwards cymbals and other quasi-psychedelic turns at various points. Plenty of other individual instances of Mecca Normal's brilliance occur in more familiar guises -- "How Many Now?," with Lester's circular notes providing a gentle bed for one of Smith's most heartfelt performances; the wonderful, quick charge of "You Heard It All," which slows down just enough to pump up the drama; the soft skip and good feeling of "Upside Down Flames." If there's a slight downside to the album, it's only in the packaging -- a listing of where all the tracks came from, along with a reproduction of Smith's often-fascinating lyrics would have been nice. Otherwise, any self-respecting fan of the band needs this without question, while others could do worse than to have this be the introduction to the duo's entrancing, involving style. ~ Ned Raggett

Product Details

Release Date:	09/27/1994
Label:	K. RECORDS
UPC:	0789856101818

Tracks

1. Strong White Male
2. Man Thinks Woman
3. Forlorn
4. He Didn't Say
5. Follow Down
6. It's Important
7. How Many Now?
8. Horse Heaven Hills
9. This Is Different
10. Armchairs Fit
11. Accidently
12. You Heard It All
13. Days
14. Rose
15. Fan of Sparks
16. Narrow
17. Broken Flowers
18. Upside Down Flames
19. From the Surface
20. More More More
21. Echo
22. One More Safe

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Mecca Normal   Primary Artist
Jean Smith   Voices,Guitar

Technical Credits

Jeff Smith   Photography
Jean Smith   Cover Design