Consumer Guide Album

The Wind: Guest of the Staphs [Cheft EP, 1984]
From Bayside and/or Florida, they traveled south and/or north to record with the ubiquitous but stationary Mitch Easter, who never before has gotten so close to this kind of dense intensity--the extra drumbeats, the guitars that fall apart and then right themselves, the aggressive timing. It suffers the usual limitations of homage and formal exercise--you never really notice what the songs are about even though it's part of the game to write smart lyrics and sing medium clear. But especially on "Delaware 89763," which sounds like it could have been recorded at the Star Club long about 1966, they make you hear Carolina Beatlism for the romantic fantasy it is--from the Beatlemania-manqué of the Spongetones to the artsy-poo of Let's Active themselves. B+