Ed Sanders

• Sanders' Truck Stop [Reprise, 1970] B
• Beer Cans on the Moon [Reprise, 1972] C+
• The Sanders-Olufsen Poetry and Classical Music Project [Olufsen, 2023] ***

Consumer Guide Reviews:

Sanders' Truck Stop [Reprise, 1970]
This is literally a country-rock takeoff--not a parody but a departure. But though I hesitate to criticize a man who is not only a saint and a genius but who says hello to me at the post office, I must point out that the yodeling country twang Sanders developed with the Fugs has never known the difference between parody and departure, which makes some of these songs seem crueller than they're intended to be. Of course, sometimes they're cruel on purpose--like "The Iliad," a saga of good old queer-bashing with a Greek-to-me intro. And sometimes, like "Jimmy Joe, the Hippybilly Boy," they're--snurfle--lyrical and sad. B

Beer Cans on the Moon [Reprise, 1972]
Sanders has never been very programmatic, and lyrics like "Nonviolent Direct Action" are why. Even the thrusts at Henry Kissinger, Melvin Laird, and Dita Beard are heavy-handed. Believe me, I don't want the best song on the record to be about a robot in love with Dolly Parton. But that's the way it is. C+

The Sanders-Olufsen Poetry and Classical Music Project [Olufsen, 2023]
No beat to speak of, but the lyrics--booklet included!--are definitely worth hearing more than once ("Two Poems About Samuel Beckett," "Hymn to Miriam"/"Polka on the Lawn With Miriam") ***

See Also

• Ed Sanders: The Family [1971-10-31]