sex, drugs and rock n roll.apparently, sex and drugs walk hand in hand with rock n roll. we already discussed the sex (wrong as it may be), now let's get to the drugs.
anyone who has heard an East River Pipe record knows they aren't exactly the cheeriest records in the world. F.M. Cornog, the man behind East River Pipe, has had a pretty rough life and was at one point homeless. but then he started making DIY tapes and got his name out there. eventually he was signed to Sarah Records and his name got more out there to all of the twee kids who were in love with Sarah. then when Sarah folded he moved to Merge and got even more exposure.
the funny thing about East River Pipe records is that even though they tend to be gloomy and somewhat nihilistic, they always sound upbeat. the newest East River Pipe record, What Are You On? is no different. Cornog shows a mastery of the sub three minute pop song with this record, having only three of the thirteen tracks clock in at over three minutes. the final track "Some Dreams Really Can Kill You" clocks in at an epic (for ERP) five minutes plus, and also may be the best track on the record.
Lyrically, the songs on What Are You On? resemble those of an almost preachy moral tale. after thirteen tracks about how people on drugs suck, you get the message. there are standout tracks of course ("Crystal Queen," "Druglife," and the aforementioned "Dreams") and the record as a whole is good, but railing on and on about drugs and their horrors gets a little old after a while.
we've all seen the ads. we know that drugs will fuck you up, and i think Cornog thinks that by making a record like this, he might stop that one fan from falling into it. but the world rarely works that way, and sometimes people need a crutch--but do they need someone preaching to them with a guitar, a voice and a home studio? i don't know. Grade: B+
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