God bless Olympia
01/12/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Now that alternative and college rock have been co-opted into the farm systems of major label distilleries, this may be our last chance to nurse on unaffected stalks of sugar cane. A stunning compilation of in-studio recordings at the last great radio station in the Northwest, KAOS at the Evergreen State College in Olympia. These songs are what happened in music while you were lulled to sleep by those neon signs, lovingly recreated in the shape of corporate logos. Locally-revered Olympia stalwarts like Old Time Relijun, Witchypoo, Rockstarmatt and Wonder Woman rub shoulders alongside some higher-profile acts like Miss Murgatroid, cub and members of Sleater-Kinney. Greil Marcus once named this slab to his Real Life Top Ten. So why are you so scared? Just beautiful music. As the soul man says, "hare rama, hare rama, duckies, duckies, duckies." (And P.S. the gravy fries at the Rib-Eye Restaurant have been known to answer any cosmological questions you might have.)"