Search - Uncle Tupelo :: 89/93: An Anthology

An Oddly Programmed Anthology from a Great Band

Brian D. Rubendall | Oakton, VA | 04/06/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The late, great Uncle Tupelo is not an easy band to anthologize, certainly not on a single disc. They had no radio hits, and quite simply too many great songs to choose from. Throw in the fact that they had two first rate, but seperate and distinct songwriting talents and the task becomes even more daunting. I purchased this CD because it contains seven tracks that are not on Uncle Tupelo's original four albums (of which I own all). The previously unavailable on album cuts include "Outdone," "I Got Drunk," "Sauget Wind;" cover tracks "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and Effigy; an alternative accoustic version of "Looking for a Way Out" and a live version of "We've Been Had." Of the rest, some are truly among UT's best songs, including "No Depression," "Screen Door," "Still Be Around," "The Long Cut" and "Fatal Wound." But where are "Postcard," "Shaky Ground," "Key to My Heart," and "If That's Alright"? They are all better than some of the selections that were included.Nitpicking aside, Uncle Tupelo was the 1990s version of the Velvet Underground, a cult band that broke new ground for many other (more popular) artists to follow. Bandmates Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy have been trying to live up to UT's high standards ever since, with mixed success. According to the liner notes, plans are in the works to re-release all four original albums with bonus tracks. This is a good thing, because all of Uncle Tupelo's music deserves to be heard."

The Birth of Legends

Blackberries | PA | 09/27/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I hearily agree with the reviewer who commented that that this was one of the greatest anthologies he ever bought. To have a collection of twenty one songs written by the modern geniuses Jeff Tweedy and Jay Ferrar is indeed quite a treat. As you probably know, Uncle Tupelo was responsible for starting and stimulating the 'alt-country' genre that is so oftenly mentioned today. Countless bands try to mimic and recreate this sound, but very few have gotten the sound right like Uncle Tupelo did. The formula was a combination of country mountain twang, punk rock energy and an earnest, heartfelt delivery. Uncle Tupelo had this methodology down to a tee, and the resultant songs are proof thereof. On 89/93, eleven of the songs are Jay's, and ten are Jeff's. Although it was implied that this was more Jay's band, I think that Jeff wrote the best songs. 'Black Eye' is one of the most beautiful songs the band ever recorded. The cover of Iggy Pop's 'I Wanna Be Your Dog' is just flat out awesome. Fatal Wound is a great but infinitely sad song that foreshadows Jeff's mastery of melancholy on his Wilco albums Being There and Summerteeth. The last track, 'We've Been Had', is amazing too. Jeff sang with all the passion of a disillusioned twentysome year old with absolutely no where to go, and I think that wandering enthusiasm is what this band showed best. It's probably obvious by now that I prefer Tweedy and Wilco over Ferrar and Son Volt, but Jay was the founder of this band, and he wrote a number of incredible songs too. 'I Got Drunk' is so plain, but it's so good and so true. 'Looking For A Way Out' is a beautiful acoustic number that further illustrated how these guys were ramblin' men. And the wonderful 'Sauget Wind' is as pretty of a song as you'll hear anywhere. These guys made indispensable music, and 89/93 chronicles their greatness wonderfully. I recommend this to all listeners."

Does the job nicely

PJ Killian | Waukegan, IL USA | 01/16/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"At the risk of being branded a heretic, I will venture the opinion that not everything this incredibly influential band touched turned to gold, so a well-chosen greatest hits package is just the thing for novices and the curious, and that's exactly what this album is.The songs are presented in a basically chronological order, so you can trace the band's development over the course of their four albums. Each album is represented with multiple songs, and the B-sides and rarities aren't just collector bait, they easily merit a place on the record--especially "Sauget Wind" and a wonderful cover of the Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog." I could take or leave the live version of "We've Been Had," however--the album track (from Anodyne) would have been a better choice.Still, 89/93 is a good value and a great introduction to one of the better bands of the 90's. The album tracks are well-chosen, I'm glad that the rarities are generally available, and the liner notes are well worth a read. I would not hesitate to recommend this as the UT album to buy to anyone who was going to buy only one UT album, and isn't that the ultimate test of a greatest-hits package?"