The Green Pajamas

Ghosts of Love (Get Hip)
by Jon Sarre

Apparently, this thing was a real bitch to record or put out or somethin’… It was made back in ’88 and then released by Bomp! in 1990 as an LP, but I guess no one in the band liked it. Near a decade and a half later (give or take a couple years), Get Hip gives the world The Green Pajamas‘ original vision. This woulda sounded out of place back when they made it, cuz they sound like early Pink Floyd if ya subbed in someone else’s – like mebbe Brian Wilson’s off-kilter pop sensibilities or mebbe Paul McCartney’s on-kilter pop sensibilities – for Syd Barrett’s wacko schizoid pop insensibilities. Well, ya know, it still sounds outta place now, plus it’s got lotsa harmonies and most of the songs are really long and the Pajamas got a yen for string arrangements and echo and even bagpipes on one track. Jeff Kelly, the guy who writes all the lyrics, would probably be a drag to hang out with, kinda like Mark Lanegan, who at least usedta drink too much. Jeff Kelly makes art, but not art I like, which usually isn’t really art at all, but more like ill-conceived trashy noise. The Green Pajamas I’m supposed to appreciate or somethin’, cuz the chamber orchestra and all the other extra people who crop up on the various songs probably had to get paid, right? I can appreciate the fact that the band almost broke up while making this record, since they doubtlessly spent too much time together recording the damn thing.
(PO Box 666 Canonsburg, PA 15317)