Orbit – Libido Speedway – Review

Orbit

Libido Speedway (A&M)
by Sheril Stanford

Dear Phil,

Hey! How are things in Canada? Things are pretty boring around here, as usual. Wiederman dug up a frog we buried in the back yard last month and puked all over Mom’s new Oriental rug – she was REALLY pissed off. I’ve been hanging out with this new girl in school, Andrea, but her parents hate me. Her father’s this big sleazy lawyer who keeps threatening to get a restraining order against me. Randy Preston stopped smoking and drinking and he’s trying to form a Young Republicans group at school – weird, huh?

Have you been able to find a radio station up there yet? Me and Jason and Mike were talking about what a drag it must be to live in a stupid little frozen hick town in the middle of nowhere, so we decided that every month we’ll send you a tape of the songs we’re listening to. The band we think is cool right now is called Orbit. They have an album called Libido Speedway. At first, I thought Orbit was one of those weenie techno bands, but Jason said that I was thinking of the Orb (he’s still pissed about that time we threw his Moby tape into the lake). Anyways, you’ll really like Orbit – they have a song that gets played on the radio a lot down here – it’s called “Medicine” – the bass line is kinda like the Pixies on “Gigantic.” You should call one of those dweeb radio stations up there and request it! Ha ha!

Anyway, remember that awesome Lou Barlow/Folk Implosion song “Natural One,” from that movie Kids? The bass player in Orbit co-wrote it! Also, one of the songs, “Nocturnal Overdrive,” kinda reminds me of that Sebadoh tune “Spoiled.” Orbit’s kinda poppy, but not sappy and sweet and earnest or anything. They’re sort of slick, but in a sleek way, not over-produced or anything. Jason likes to drive around with the windows down listening to this one song called “Motorama” (too bad his car is such a shitbox!) and Mike just likes Orbit because of the guitar solos, I think (Mike still thinks he can play). His favorite tune is called “Bicycle Song” – it’s got lots of feedback and it feels really, like, gritty, but it makes me feel sad for some reason – the vocals are sort of forlorn or something. “Amp” is pretty cool – the guitar line reminds me a lot of “All Over You.” (I can hear you gagging, Phil, but I remember when you liked Live).

Well, I guess I better go – Weiderman’s making that sound he makes just before he throws up. I guess he hasn’t recovered from the frog yet – maybe it was the formaldehyde? Anyway, write soon and tell us what’s going on in exciting Canada.

Love,
Jason, Mike and Andy