My Chartreuse Opinion:Scott McCaughey

Artist: Scott McCaughey

Date Released: 1989 (1997 reissue as The Minus 5 of Scott McCaughey)

Label: PopLlama / Hollywood / East Side Digital

Produced By: Scott McCaughey / Conrad Uno

Tracklisting:
 * 1) Losing Battle
 * 2) Happy For The Box
 * 3) The Big Dead End
 * 4) A Sobering Thought
 * 5) Real True Tragedy Incident
 * 6) You'll Never See My Face Again
 * 7) I Might Have Listened
 * 8) Evolution
 * 9) Shut Them Out
 * 10) Big Deal
 * 11) The Real Prime Directive
 * 12) People Say
 * 13) Sittin' Round Doin' Nothin'
 * 14) Roller Coaster Blues

(Tracks 13 and 14 only on the Hollywood reissue.)

Review: This isn't really a Minus 5 record, though is was issued as one in 1997 to capitalize on the tiny bit of fame the Minus 5 had gotten as a super-group of sorts (and also to make sure it was binned in a location where people might see it). However -- it's REALLY REALLY good. It's closer to a Young Fresh Fellows record -- in fact, Chuck Carroll and Jim Sangster play on it as well (Tad Hutchison didn't -- Dennis Diken from The Smithereens plays drums instead -- but Tad did write the liners which mostly call attention to the fact that he didn't play on it.) -- but I would assume Minus 5 fans would like it a lot, too, since, well, I'd be surprised if there were any Minus 5 fans who, like, hated the Young Fresh Fellows. (If there are any such people, I wouldn't recommend talking to them. They are very obviously wrong and turned around people and will perhaps try to sacrifice your pets while you're not looking, or worse still, even when you are.)  Anyway, though -- it's one of those records that appears when you most want it. After a while of looking around for a CD issue (had the LP for a while, though), I couldn't find it and couldn't find it and couldn't find it, and then, one day, my SO found two sealed brand new copies in the new bin of a local Seattle record store. So, of course, she bought them. This album is so worth having, but it'll find YOU -- and when it DOES, open up your arms and let it in -- don't shut it out. It will love you and only wants you to love it. But rest assured -- you WILL. Outstanding record. - Rev. Syung Myung Me