The Candyland Riots

Taken from "Tonics And Twisted Chasers" 1997

"Over the flames
The plastic airplanes circled
And every ambulance harmonized
A glorious yellow smoke filled the eyes
Of the baby giants given astro-taffy
To keep them happy
While the war raged on
And the friendly army drove to beat the band
How did you escape
Your door was locked
The exit's blocked
Now I know
It's not so impossible
Now I know
We can't go back to where we were
We're back to where we'll be
ooooh
Back to where we were
we'll be"

A lumbering strum and a lovely wilting vocal from Bob and a fantastic melody make this a mini RP classic. Big question? What is an Astro-Taffy though?

Girl From The Sun

Taken from "Tonics And Twisted Chasers" 1997

"Girl from the sun
The color red
She melted my gun
She melted my head
She's got me
Talking to myself
I sit in restaurants
Forever and talk to myself
She's a girl from the sun

And she sings like a parrot
I'm a very nice fellow
She's right for me
And the full-colored kingdom
Of trickery and chaos
I like her tremendously
And to turn those objections
Into (beer without directions?)
I'll fight for the free
And people who live in glass houses should get stoned
Like the girl from the sun and me"

A song of two tempos. Quite dull sounding but has quite a cool riff to it. Very Rolling Stones.

Is She Ever?

Taken from "Tonics And Twisted Chasers" 1997

"Is the ever with intent when she likens herself to a crow?
Will she crow and say bingo?
"I'm a believer" she tells me
But is she ever going to cry
When the directors bark from out there in the dark
Fly sister vibrate - you were automatically free
The moment you came to me
Is she ever coming back to me?
Is she ever coming back to me?
Say it loud and we shall see
Is she ever coming back to me?"

This song could fit quite snuggly onto Bee Thousand as it has a similar sound and production. It perhaps doesnt quite hit the glory of some Bee Thousand tracks but is still pretty good. Nice.

Optional Bases Opposed

Taken from "Tonics And Twisted Chasers" 1997

"I'm slow at times - I just want to grow at times
but it gets to be a drag."
She astonished the reporters with that remark
Then she cracked
Optional bases opposed
Door number four is closed
Running the leg and supporting the arm
An impressive finish of radiant charm"

One of those classic Beatbox and fuzzed up guitar Tonics tracks. The chorus reminds me totally of another Bob song but I really can't put my finger on it.

Long As The Block Is Black

Taken from "Tonics And Twisted Chasers" 1997

"How, you ask, will I know you
Especially when I can't see you in my sleep
And I'm afraid to be with you
Only when you are gone, this shall I weep:
Take my shape and then
Follow me, my childhod friend
Would I lie?
I would die
If you walked into my room
Someday cry
Someday smile
And say it's great to be alive
Should I stay?
Should I go?
Indecision is my mind
My heart cries"

Another scratchy and fuzzy lo-fi wonderment from Mr Pollard taken from the fanclub album "Tonics and Twisted Chasers". A fine 1 minute plus of acoustic strumming and a lone guitar which then breaks into a lovely refrain before it fades away like it was never there in the first place.

At The Farms

Taken from "Tonics And Twisted Chasers" 1997

"Well the simpleton at arms
Is protecting the village's prettiest girls
But now they're running far away
Because the washing isn't done
And they lived a life of grounding
In a closet at the foundation
And now they aren't available
To the simpleton at arms
And returning thus to the simple life
(At the farms)"

I love it when Robert Pollard plays a melancholic song and this is one, and in the same mould as "Dayton, Ohio-19 Something And 5" and just feels like a hark back to childhood and the simple life with a very McCartneyesque vocal. Tonics does have some shingin gems on it doesnt it?

Reptilian Beauty Secrets

Taken from "Tonics And Twisted Chasers" 1997

"She's got the face
She's got a face that makes me happy
I never thought about how lovely it was
Until one day she went over and out
Over and out
Over and out
When will she come back to me?
Over and out"

Sh!t nearly forgot to do this today. Had a few glasses of wine and watched "Pick of Destiny" (quite funny) and nearly slipped my mind. Quite a fuzzy little track from "fanclub only" album. Catchy little number with a fuzzed up vocal and fuzzed up almost mechanical beat and guitar. Some good songs on Tonics and this is one of the better ones.