Selector Dub Narcotic

(K)
by Bob Ham

Hey, does anyone else remember that little compilation that came out a few years back featuring nothing but bands who recorded at Fort Apache studios? Remember how you were really interested at the time and then found out that it just featured a lot of stuff that your favorite bands who had recorded at said studios had already put out? Ever come across it much in the 99¢ bin of your favorite chain record store? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions then you might not be interested at the prospect of a collection of recordings by bands who have graced the soundproof rooms of Olympia, Washington’s Dub Narcotic Studios. To be only slightly interested might just be enough to convince you to get yourself this CD, but for those of you who scoff at the idea because of compilations before it (like the aforementioned disc), allow me to sway you to the side of complete interest. Why? Because this CD kicks ass. Not only do you need not worry about dealing with a bunch of tracks you’ve already heard (every track but one having not been released anywhere else), but you get the treat of having so many good Northwest indie bands, as well as a few other choice underground lads and lassies from around the globe, all on one disc. Sure, it does have a couple of tracks from a pair of prominent artists that sound like, on an off day on their tour and decided to hit the studio (Beck‘s “Close To God” being the most glaring example, with way too much art rock pretentiousness to warrant listening but a couple times a year. The other, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion‘s “Blues Explosion Attack,” is still worth repeated listening mainly for the crackin’ groove that the boys kick into that keeps my booty shakin’ whenever I hear it), and there are a couple of tracks that can just be skipped over for the sheer fact that they are dull, but, hell, kids, that’s why they put those skip buttons on your CD players! And, c’mon, that’s only three tracks out of 23, leaving you with at least 65 minutes of pure aural satisfaction. And satisfaction is guaranteed. You get some mean grooves laid out by some relatively unknown Northwest hip-hoppers (Black Anger Movement and No-1), some great angry rock from Panties and Telepathic Youth, sweet pop songs from the likes of Jason Traeger, Tommy (a collaboration of Lois and Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney), as well as three tracks by the in-house band, Dub Narcotic Sound System. To me, that adds up to some good listening. Any fans of the Northwest scene will surely not be disappointed, and if you’re a fan of any of the groups on the disc, you might hear somebody new that you’ll totally fall in love with.
(PO Box 7154 Olympia, WA 98507)