The album opens with “Apples, I’m Home.” It has that wonderfully odd, loose, improvised feel, almost like it is unfinished, that we’re being treated to music in progress. And that is part of the charm of Adam Green’s music. But there is also certainly some humor to this short song. Spencer Chakedis provides the electronic sounds on this track. That’s followed by “My Shadow Tags On Behind,” in which Adam Green sings, “Face it, kid, you were never what they wanted,” a harsh line, but delivered in an almost matter-of-fact manner. And actually, the song has a sweet folk sound, and on this one, Adam is joined by Joel Green on clarinet. “I know that everyone’s got something that they do/But I don’t want to be obsolete to you/Oh, I don’t want to carry my bag on one shoulder for you.” His vocals at times remind me of Syd Barrett’s solo work. This is one of my personal favorites.
Leah Green joins Adam on vocals for “Bartholemew,” a song with a rather gentle sound. Check out these lines: “Oh, the old men wave their canes/They have yesterday’s brains/And their worlds stop turning on Sundays.” And these: “Oh, the mirror always shows/There’s a stranger in my clothes/Standing on the third rail.” Not bad, right? Then “Mozzarella Swastikas” might have the feel and sound of one of those great folk songs of the 1970s, but the lyrics are certainly unlike most of what the troubadours then were offering. And I love that these songs are humorous without sounding funny. You know? “Now the king was reading comics/When he stepped into some vomit/And he screamed like forty wolves/Being burned alive.” Interestingly, “Dance With Me” has something of a rock vibe, fitting with the lines “Turn the lights on bright/You’re a rock and roll star.” Though of course this is a low-fi version of rock, even when that electric guitar comes in. Matt Romano plays drums on this track.
“Computer Show” is an interesting one. Okay, all these songs are interesting, granted. But this in particular grabs me and demands I pay close attention. It starts off on acoustic guitar and seems gentle enough, and with a catchy bit on guitar. But those early lines “I didn’t have a passport/So they turned me into snow” hint at what is coming. And the song begins to build in power, and in strangeness. “You caught my eye against your eye/Deep inside the crowd/You hung me from the hooks inside/My asshole and my mouth.” Spencer Chakedis is credited as providing “electronic sounds.” The instruments and electronic sounds develop a sort of beauty together, and the ending is oddly sweet. This is another of the disc’s highlights. It’s followed by “Her Father And Her.” This one has a darker, more somber sense about it. “And she took me to her little tower/And she showed me her little flower/And just when I thought it was safe to put down my pen/She said maybe I will let you fall in love with me again.” He gets angry at the end.
“Baby’s Gonna Die Tonight” begins with some work on guitar. And when it kicks in, there is a strong Rolling Stones influence heard in its sound, in its energy, in the vocal delivery. And perhaps just naturally it ends up with something of a punk thing happening too. That’s followed by “Times Are Bad,” which includes the word “curmudgeon” in its lyrics, reason enough to like it. And Joel Green returns on clarinet at certain points. “And the people that you love/Are attacking you from above/And everyone that you trust/Is just selling you a bucket of lies/Well, just believe/That it’s all going to be okay.” The main section of the original album then concludes with “Can You See Me,” another unusual song, with distinct sections. “Anyone could pop in as you/Tried to untie your lips/But they were double-knotted/I tried to break into your brain/But all the entrances were rotted.”
The original CD included the three-song EP Dance With Me, with a minute of silence to separate the main section and the EP tracks. The first of the three EP tracks is its title track, “Dance With Me,” a different version from album, with a more pronounced, solid beat. It’s a more polished rendition, which I actually prefer, to my surprise. That’s followed by “Bleeding Heart,” a totally delightful song from the start. It is one that was also recorded early on by The Moldy Peaches. This version has a sort of bouncy vibe. The last of the tracks from the EP is a different version of “Computer Show.” Both versions are excellent.
Bonus Tracks
This expanded version of the album contains thirteen bonus tracks. The first is the demo of “Mozzarella Swastikas.” It’s funny because, and I don’t mean this as an insult or anything, a lot of what Adam Green releases (including The Moldy Peaches recordings) sound like demos already, with that low-fi vibe. So this, to me, is just another rendition, and it’s delightful. After all, who else writes lyrics like these: “And the mozzarella sweaters/Get sewn to the tits/Where the lump behind the sheet/Is where the tumor took a shit/And I’ll be getting head/Under the rainbow.” This version features drums. That’s followed by a demo of “Steak For Chicken,” a song that was recorded by The Moldy Peaches, and included on that self-titled album. It is one I’ve loved since I first heard that Moldy Peaches album. There is a bit of banter at the beginning of this track, “making me nervous.” Here is a taste of the lyrics: “How am I going to pay the rent/Sitting on your face/Who mistook the steak for chicken/Who am I gonna stick my dick in/We’re not those kids sitting on the couch.” And on this recording, he laughs as he sings “Who am I gonna stick my dick in.” He also laughs when delivering the line “Traded my wife in for a new three-holer.” This is a great rendition. That’s followed by the first of the live recordings, a pretty rendition of “Bartholomew.”
The bonus tracks include a cover of Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” one of two covers on this disc. Adam Green does a good job with it. That’s followed by a demo of “Times Are Bad,” recorded in 1996, feeling a bit slower than the album version. Then we get a live version of “Her Father And Her.” This song has a kind of classic story folk song vibe, and is delivered in a serious manner and tone, even lines like “I carry refreshments to the good guys/I made the good guys some home fries.” That’s followed by “Let The Kids Want What They Want,” a song with a very different vibe, opening with some electronic sounds, a pulse, and then each line is repeated several times: “Press ‘Play’ and turn this party on” and “Let the kids want what they want.” It’s a kind of wild mix of electronic and punk elements. A live recording of “My Shadow Tags On Behind” follows. The sound quality isn’t as good on this track, but I am still glad it is included here because the performance is good.
This disc contains a third version of “Computer Show,” a
live version featuring a full band that includes a string section, so with quite
a different sound from the other versions. It’s very cool. Antoine Silverman
and Joan Wasser are on violin, David Gold is on viola, and Jane Scarpantoni is on
cello. In addition to the string quartet, this track includes Chris Isom on
guitar, Steven Mertens on bass and Parker Kindred on drums. “I can’t go home without going home with you.”
That’s followed by a demo of “Bleeding Heart,” this version without the drums. The
disc’s second cover is The Doors’ “Crystal Ship,” a surprising choice. And
guess what, he does a good job with it. That’s followed by a live recording of
“I Wish That I Was Nice,” a song that Adam Green apparently never recorded a
studio version of. It has a truly goofy ending. The disc concludes with a live
version of “Baby’s Gonna Die Tonight.” In introducing it, he says, “This is going to be the last song we’re
gonna play,” so it is fitting as a final track. Anyway, this song features
the full band, with strings. I wish the sound quality were a little better,
because it’s a strong and powerful performance.
CD Track List
- Apples, I’m Home
- My Shadow Tags On Behind
- Bartholemew
- Mozzarella Swastikas
- Dance With Me
- Computer Show
- Her Father And Her
- Baby’s Gonna Die Tonight
- Times Are Bad
- Can You See Me
- <Blank>
- Dance With Me (EP Version)
- Bleeding Heart
- Computer Show (EP Version)
- Mozzarella Swastikas (Demo)
- Steak For Chicken (Demo)
- Bartholemew (Live at Makor)
- Love Will Tear Us Apart
- Times Are Bad (Demo)
- Her Father And Her (Live at Makor)
- Let The Kids Want They Want
- My Shadow Tags On Behind (Live at Sidewalk Café)
- Computer Show (Live at Pier 54)
- Bleeding Heart (Demo)
- Crystal Ship
- I Wish That I Was Nice (Live at Sidewalk Café)
- Baby’s Gonna Die Tonight (Live at Pier 54)
This expanded edition of Garfield was released on April 14, 2023 through Org Music.
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