When Pere Ubu reformed in 1987 with THE TENEMENT YEAR, the newfound pop elements of their sound disturbed a lot of the band's older fans. The following albums only increased the They Might Be Giants-like skewed pop content to the point that the band had an actual MTV/college radio hit with 1989's "Waiting for Mary."
1998's PENNSYLVANIA is a sudden and startling about face from the poppier albums that preceded it, reverting Pere Ubu back to the noisy assaults of the NEW PICNIC TIME era. The return of original Ubu guitarist Tom Herman to the fold likely has much to do with this regained noise-rock immediacy, and singer/songwriter David Thomas responds with some of his most impassioned and bizarre tunes in years.
The Wire (1/99, p.27) - Included in Wire's "50 Records Of The Year [1998]"
The Wire (3/98, pp.59-60) - "...as slick, slippery and dangerous as a tank of electric eels....It is hard not to be moved by their huge surges of power and passion....for 70 minutes you're convinced that they're the greatest out-rock'n'roll group of this millennium, and probably the next."
NME (Magazine) (3/14/98, p.49) - 7 (out of 10) - "...This is Pere Ubu's world. It's not similar to the one you know and love, though it does stoop down to comment on the stupidities of everyday folk..." |