Graham Reid | | 2 min read
As we noted when the Clean's David Kilgour walked us through track-by-track of the band's Unknown Country of 1996, the US label Merge now has the rights to Clean's complete catalogue they have decided to issue two of the band's albums – Unknown Country and Mister Pop (2009) -- on vinyl for the first time.
Elsewhere recently wrote a lengthy reconsideration of Unknown Country and we also reviewed Mister Pop at the time.
Neither of these albums were critically embraced but time and distance allows us to hear them again in a different way perhaps.
Just as David provided some background to the Unknown Country songs, now Robert Scott makes some observations of Mister Pop.
Over to you Robert . . .
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Mister Pop, an album started in Brooklyn and finished at Burlington St Dunedin. Engineers Gary Olsen and Tex Houston.
Song by song thoughts?
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Loog.
A lovely slow groove, languid changes and cracking ooh aahs by Haunted Love.
Loog
Are You Really on Drugs
A Brooklyn one, no bass ? Wacky fractured mix, David will know what it means.
Are You Really on Drugs
In a Dreamlife U Need a Rubber Soul.
Pure pop at its catchy best, this went well in the live set, driving and in your face ... just a little, great slide lead, a story of some kind of life, a Burlington one ... I think.
In a Dreamlife U Need a Rubber Soul
Asleep in the tunnel.
Idea formed whilst sitting in traffic in the Holland tunnel in NY, I get to play guitar! weird cross vocal in the breakdown, hard to hear what we are singing.
Asleep in the Tunnel
Back in the day.
A Hamish classic free form vocal ideas, one part is about the sun shining in through the aeroplane window, deep wisdom with a jaunty upbeat feel. Sparse production.
Back in the Day
Moon Jumper.
Juno synth madness, featuring Alan Starrett on violin, a Burlington St jam, I try and put some structure into it.
Moon Jumper
Factory Man.
Classic 60s britpop a la the Kinks, observations of everyday life. Kitchen sink production alot going on, done live a bit.
Factory Man
Simple Fix.
Mutant pop from another planet, we got obsessed with various synth sounds and wanted to try them all out in this tune, ebbs and flows in its structure and sweetness.
Simple Fix
Tensile
One of my faves, Krautrock vibe and great momentum, "the car is somewhere to hide" almost drawing on The Passenger by Iggy in its ideas, synth and bass-driven with a great guitar motif, should have been a hit.
Tensile
All Those Notes
A sweet bent tune, claustrophobic production almost knocks it off its stride, "when the rain comes through we'll be happy". could have been in a David Lynch movie.
There is more about the Clean at Elsewhere (including interviews and overviews) starting 
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