The Young Fresh Fellows are not especially well-known (except possibly through a lyric in a They Might Be Giants song), and that is somewhat of a shame, since their music is really a lot of fun. Both of their first two albums can be found on this disc, and, while their later albums are also great, Topsy Turvy is probably still my favorite (and apparently also the favorite of band leader Scott McCaughey). Styles range from hard-rocking ("How Much About Last Night Do You Remember?" and "You've Got Your Head On Backwards," for instance) to slower and rather psychadelic (the Sharing Patrol and Topsy Turvy Themes) to country-ish ("Good Things Go" and "Searchin' USA," despite the latter's obvious Beach Boys references). The band's sense of humor is shown in such songs as "Hang Out Right" and "The New John Agar," as well as in the spoken-word introductions to the tracks on The Fabulous Sounds of the Pacific Northwest, most of which have only tenuous, if any, connections with the songs they introduce. The whole package makes for some enjoyable listening, and a great way for those unfamilar with the band (which is probably most people) to find out about their work.
The Young Fresh Fellows - Fabulous Sounds of the Pacific Northwest/Topsy Turvy [1989] P1
The Young Fresh Fellows - Fabulous Sounds of the Pacific Northwest/Topsy Turvy [1989] P2
