Silversun Pickups : Remixes EP

I'm sure the Silversun Pickup's Remixes EP didn't escape many of you left-coasters, but I didn't see it until recently - mainly because it was an iTunes only release, and I don't use iTunes to buy music. Also, normally, I might ignore a cash-grab like this, and for the most part, a few of these remixes are very ignorable, but basically I checked into the CD because Lazy Eye was mah jam in '06/early '07. I mean, I never grew tired of it. I still find myself getting a little pumped when lead singer Brian Aubert cranks it up towards the end. So, if you really, like me, enjoy that song, this Remixes EP provides four(!) versions of Lazy Eye and two of Little Lovers So Polite.

Basics...I pop it in and immediately am bored by Jimmy Tamborello's Postal Serviced-up, snooze-worthy Lazy Eye "Accordian Remix". I like accordians, but much more in the Eastern Euro-gypsy ho-down vein. This was just an echoey Scottish funeral version of Lazy Eye, but with handclaps.

Next the "Greyarea Remix" of Little Lovers So Polite is a pretty solid dance/house/downbeat throwback. Hell, I don't know where anything fits in all these sub-genres of electronic music any more. Just get me a few glowsticks and let's go!

KCRW DJ Jason Bentley then gives Lazy Eye a pretty decent club/dance treatment while still remaining true to the rock song aspects of it all. He keeps the guitar in the forefront and I liked that.

It's then Beck keyboardist Brian LeBarton's turn to blip and beep the hell out of Lazy Eye. This one comes off pretty lazy (for lack of a better word) for the first couple minutes, but picks up some and accentuates Aubert's vocal intensity and emotion well towards the end.

I enjoyed the remix of Little Lovers So Polite by Silversun labelmate One AM Radio the most (read MOKB post on One AM Radio). Hrishikesh Hirway cuts more than a minute off the original, pushes the guitar way back and moves the bass, keys and drums/(drum machine) way up.

Silversun Pickups - Little Lovers So Polite (One AM Radio Remix)
One AM Radio - In The Time We've Got

Silversun then gives Tamborello another crack at Lazy Eye. This one is drumpad filled and again an echoey and basically guitarless excercise in bordom. I mean, the guitar is there, just pushed into a fuzz-filled background. Jimmy sticks with that ghostly auralness thing he loves so much and I am growing so tired of.

Basically, unless you are hardcore SSPU fan, these are just mildly interesting exercises that, in the end, aren't as strong as the originals. SSPU have been a very polarizing band, so those that hate the band or find them boring or Smashing Pumpkins rip-offs may find these to be an improvement and worth checking into. For fans, I recommend a skim and then go back to the originals.

Stream the whole EP at Dangerbird Records.

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