Lo-fi acoustic folk/rock ain't usually my bag. I mean, sure I like a little bit of everything, but I think I prefer my folk folky, and my rock frickin' rockin', dig? Yet this local trio's oddball songwriter Andrew Jansen's got me captivated. Yeah, it's gentle rock, and not really the most stark or beautiful folk, but the weird lyrics, ridiculous song names, and playful eclecticism sure spells fun.
Song title highlights include, "For Gary Snyder...Beatrice You Know Not My Quivers," "A Song My Father Cannot Enjoy (Ranch Dressing)," and the incredibly inspired "Traglactipus Flounderbrush Hexdoman Schnazelbach," which is actually on the band's website as part of a bold (dare I say impossible?) song-a-day challenge, and not on this record. But a name like that deserves some recognition,-as does the song. It may just be the best piece of underground acid folk I've ever heard. SERIOUSLY!
At their worst, A Paper Cup Band sounds like they took Beck's songs from Mellow Gold, cut them to stark One Foot in the Grave frameworks, and cuted them over with some questionably spry lyrics and near Jack Johnsonisms. At their best, they rollick like the Femmes, and trip like Syd. Is this great folk music? Fuck no. Is this great pop music? Who even cares! This is weird folk/pop, the very fact that it's weird makes it great.
www.apapercupband.com
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