One for Monday

I think I am already behind on my resolution to do a post a week, so here's a quick one: Apparently, Superdrag, one of my favorite "critically adored/publically ignored" groups from the 90s reunited earlier last year to release a new album- Industry Giants. Most people know them from their only commercial hit "Sucked Out" and the lesser-known "Destination Ursa Major" off of the album Regretfully Yours. They went on to put out three more great albums (two after being dropped by Elektra and moving to Arena Rock), but never caught on big with the public, despite being a rock-pop outfit with an endless supply of hooks and great lines.

I first saw them opening for Weezer's Pinkerton tour at The Granada in 1996, and provided a great example of why you go catch the opening act, at least for touring shows: Despite being a little annoyed by "Sucked Out", I bounced to their set, found John Davis (lead singer/songwriter) to be a fantastic frontman (dressed in a red tux shirt, cigarette at the end of his guitar, and at one point telling some over-anxious Weezer fan calling out for his band "Patience, little man. Your band will come."), and I found their songs to be catchy to the point that I remembered them a few days later when I bought their two albums out at that time.

The career arc Superdrag took, or more directly that Davis took, is pretty standard: Depsite the critical success the constant touring of smaller venues, dwindling chances at retaining that brief success, and druggy excess-turned-additction burned the band out. In the early 2000s, Davis lost is grandfather, who was a supporter of his music, and Davis "felt the weight of God" on his chest while he was driving down a highway one day. He became a born-again Christian, and finished his contract for one more album with the band, and parted ways. He released two Christian rock albums that still carried over his ear for Beatles harmonies and solid songwriting.

Aside:I own the first (self-titled), and it's a great album, and also the only Christian album I own, mainly because other than some occasional specifics, the lyrics stay vague enough for interpretation and the recording is not done over like really bad modern pop-country, which is usually not the case with Christian music. It actually still sounds like rock that has a Christian theme, not crap on a Crucifix.

Anyway, the band got back together for a "reunion tour" ion 2007, and have apparently decided to stay together, resulting in a new album. I have listened to it once and already believe I will enjoy it. I think it's nice that we are seeing a lot of bands that are reuniting really doing it because they loved making music and playing together, not because it will equal a ton of cash (The Pixies, Mission of Burma, Dinosaur Jr.). We fans are all the luckier.


Sucked Out
(1996)


Superdrag "Sucked Out" (Music Video)

Superdrag MySpace Music Videos



Aspertame
(2009)



-Chris