Folk Implosion Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
The "New" in the band's name is to separate this group from the former Folk Implosion LPs that were studio collaborations between Lou Barlow and John Davis. Now that Sebadoh is apparently kaput, Barlow and The Sebadoh drummer Russ Pollard have formed this new trio with guitarist Imaad Wasif (who used to make Alaska! records with Pollard). And it really is different than the Davis records: there are no samples or dance beats, just a pure band, plain and simple, no tricks, and no up-front treats either! The first product of this new union is much more forbidding than the average Sebadoh record. Yes, it's mostly dark and a little joyless, if kind of spellbinding for it. Aside from one lonely nice folk-pop sweetener in "Pearl" and the classically vulnerable closer, "Easy," Barlow's in no laughing mood. The lyrics of these nine lengthy songs are all about modification, moving on, starting over. One important element of Barlow's past is thankfully preserved, and that's the way he can crawl up your spine when he wants to. Whether it's detailing girl troubles or just verbalizing general dissatisfaction, he's always been at his best expressing the angst he carries when something's a little off in his life, or when the things he needs the most are slightly out of reach. The New Folk Implosion is bound to alienate many an old fan, as it gives him or her no help and that's that. The melodies are there, but they sure aren't catchy pop. It's an LP that makes you listen closely or turns you off, the kind where Wasif's punishing, stabbing, frightening guitar leads are what hits hardest, not the songs themselves. Though it will take a number of plays to wipe the grime off Barlow's bitter frown, it's still strangely alluring, like watching friends deal with new life long after a breakup or after losing their job or best friend. Swim at your own risk. ~ Jack Rabid, The Big Takeover, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Folk Implosion disappeared from view not long after Dare to Be Surprised, which failed to capitalize on "Natural One"'s surprise success. Perhaps the group effort of 1998's The Sebadoh made Lou Barlow want to claim control of Folk Implosion on One Part Lullaby. Though John Davis is credited with co-writing the songs, "Lou sang lead vocal and wrote most of the words," making this feel like a Barlow solo project blessed with greater popcraft. It's more cohesive than Dare to Be Surprised, built around the trip-hop/new wave blend that made "Natural One" a hit, but that turns out to be a mixed blessing. Part of the charm of Folk Implosion was that it felt like two friends just kicking back, making weird noises, and writing quirky songs. Some of that remains, especially in the cheap synths and other electronic instrumentation, but One Part Lullaby is far more measured, filled with songs performed at the same basic tempo, with similar hooks and arrangements. It's not mellow, necessarily, but has a meditative mood, which fits Barlow's disarmingly introspective lyrics -- something familiar to Sebadoh and solo albums, but previously unheard of on Implosion albums. Parts of One Part Lullaby work very well, but it's also curiously flat. The modern rock production feels two years out of date -- shiny and commercial for 1996-1997, but an anomaly in 1999. Barlow's writing is too emotionally insular and musically similar for it to be truly engaging throughout and mutes the carefree spirit of previous Implosion albums; worst of all, it feels like he's repeating himself. That's not to say One Part Lullaby is a failure -- when Barlow and Davis pull it all together, the results are as strong as anything else the duo has recorded. As a whole, however, it winds up being strangely unengaging. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Dare to Be Surprised'
Release Date 4/25/1997
Tracks 14
Label Communion
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The surprise success of "Natural One" affected the Folk Implosion in a surprising way. Instead of running from success and shunning melody, Lou Barlow and John Davis decided to embrace pop on their own terms. That means the Folk Implosion remains an indie rock band, recording on cheap equipment, and layering brittle guitars for the basic tracks, but the guys write impossibly catchy hooks, such as the amazing single "Pole Position." At its best, Dare to Be Surprised is spare, tuneful, and infectious, and at its worst, it's merely underwritten. Nevertheless, Barlow has rarely been as succinct and consistent as he is here, and Davis' songs are uniformly strong as well, making Dare to Be Surprised one of the finest items in their respective catalogs. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Take a Look Inside'
Release Date 6/6/1994
Tracks 14
Label Gestrichen
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
With 14 songs whizzing by in 22 jam-packed minutes Take a Look Inside is just a lo-fi blur on the first few listens. But eventually the great songs stand out, and it becomes clear that this short-form approach to songwriting suits Lou Barlow well. So instead of the rip-off one would expect from a 22-minute full-length, Take a Look Inside stands as one the Folk Implosion's best releases. By limiting each song to three minutes, Barlow and bandmate John Davis reign in their stranger "freak-out" tendencies, exposing a cache of pop gems. So it's worth wading through the murk of "Spiderweb-Butterfly" to get to the serene "Had to Find Out," or the drone of "Boyfriend, Girlfriend" to reach the superb trio "Shake a Little Heaven," "Waltzin' With Your Ego," and the funky "Take a Look Inside." ~ Ari Wiznitzer, All Music Guide
