black moth super rainbow - dandelion gum

Dandelion Gum is one of those albums I will always associate with college. That psychedelic haze of analog synths was always a perfect counterpart to my sleepless days and nights, coming together to create an almost daily sensation that was nothing less than a high. Good times.

Unlike many of my college albums, this one has stuck with me, and really continued to grow in stature over the last few years. The simplicity of the hooks and the colorful texture of the sounds, elements that caught my attention upon the first few listens, gradually gave way to an appreciation of the depth of the songs and the remarkably engrossing atmospheres the band creates almost at will. Every song is it's own spaced-out analog wonderland, and it speaks to Black Moth's talents as a band that their druggy synth style never seems to get old.

I picked up the deluxe reissue of this album last week, complete with a gorgeous picture disc and 14 bonus tracks. I immediately threw the record on my turntable and took in the album for the umpteenth time, and it was just as great as it had always been. I expected the vinyl sound to influence the music more, but the difference was barely noticeable. (As it is has been 99% of the time for me. Don't let the analog purists fool you. Except for Two Nuns and a Pack Mule. That sounds incredible on record.)

The bonus tracks are slightly above-average for a reissue. Far too many records get repackaged these days with a handful of live versions of album tracks, adding virtually nothing to the original album at all. While the collection isn't particularly revelatory, it's definitely worth the money, and you can definitely make the case that it adds to the original album.

The biggest disappointment is how many of these tracks were already previously available: 3 from Drippers, 5 from The House of Apples and Eyeballs, and 1 from Bonus Drippers. Granted, the former are two recordings that aren't exactly easy to tracks down in physical form, but in the age of the Internet, no real BMSR fan doesn't already have these releases. On top of that, another 2 tracks are simply alternate versions of album tracks, and I fully admit that the remaining 4 tracks already could be out there outside the realm of my music library. These guys aren't exactly shy on releasing their demos and rarities.

The remaining tunes are cool and all, but still a let down. The one good thing that can be said is when you take it all in as a whole, it actually works pretty well. And when you consider that the band calls them "extra flavor" tracks, you have to wonder if that wasn't their intention all along. In which case...I feel like an ass for complaining about it.