Tripping Daisy Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
Tripping Daisy's eponymous final album was recorded prior to the death of guitarist Wes Berggren. On it they continue to experiment with their style of Beatlesque grunge. The most definitive and memorable of these is songs is "Tragiverse," a sweeping tune that fades in and out from a slow quiet melody to a fast-paced psychedelic free for all. At times the album falters, especially on "Kids Are Calling" when the band plays a more edgier '90s rock sound and has harmony vocals that come across as rather annoying instead of adding depth. Still the album serves as a rather fitting swan song for the group. ~ Curtis Zimmermann, All Music Guide
'Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb'
Release Date 7/7/1998
Tracks 15
Label Island
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What The Critics Say
Tripping Daisy's first two albums were written off as average post-grunge alt-rock records, which may make the presence of Eric Drew Feldman -- a former member of Pere Ubu and a colleague of both Captain Beefheart and Frank Black -- as a producer and keyboardist a little puzzling to the group's detractors. After all, Tripping Daisy was supposed to be in it for the cash and fame, not art, but critics may have to change their tune after listening to the Daisy's third album, Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb. The band has made a big stylistic breakthrough, enhancing the psychedelic subtext that ran through their first two records, retaining their melodic sensibility and jacking up their weirdness quotient, thanks to Feldman. Although there are a few times where their ambitions outweigh their achievements, the entire result is an impressive record that balances punk-pop with art-rock. It's a smart, ambitious and successful album that may come as a surprise, not only for the doubters but for hardcore fans, since nothing they've done before suggests the power of Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb. (Also, it's nice that Tripping Daisy paid tribute to the great, underappreciated indie-rock band Brainiac and its tragically departed leader Tim Taylor by covering "Indian Poker" -- it, like the rest of the album, shows that their hearts are in the right place.) ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'I Am an Elastic Firecracker'
Release Date 1/1/1995
Tracks 12
Label Island
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
With their second album, Tripping Daisy channel their psychedelic influences into more coherent songs without losing their quirky sense of melody. It makes for a more enjoyable and accessible record, one that isn't distinguished by the noise of guitars, but what the guitars are playing. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Tripping Daisy's debut is an eminently likable, if not exceptional collection of buoyant, early-'90s alt-pop. Sometimes the band sounds like Jane's Addiction's prankish little brother (due in large part to the heavily processed vocals of Tim DeLaughter), and admittedly, this is pretty lightweight stuff, but that's part of the fun. A little production polish -- and a bit more vocal layering -- would have made the tunes more dynamic and interesting, but tracks like "Change of Mind" and "My Umbrella" still more or less get their point across with skittering power chord progressions and occasional psychedelia. Not a landmark record, but not a bad one, either -- a pleasant souvenir of its time. ~ Andy Hinds, All Music Guide
