Search - Dumptruck :: Haul of Fame: A Collection

Don't overlook them again

Edward J. Whitelock | Barnesville, GA USA | 11/10/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you were a fan of the American underground in the 80's, you might have heard of Dumptruck. Cut from similar cloth to Long Ryders, Rain Parade, The Good Earth-era Feelies, Guadalcanal Diary, and, of course, R.E.M., they never got the opportunity to rise above cult status due to legal problems with their record label. Their sound is Byrds meets later-Velvet Underground meets Television, the classic 80's college radio formula, but hardly formulaic. Founder Seth Tiven actually persevered into and through the 90's with assorted musicians performing under the band name to good effect. Sometimes career-retrospective anthologies that pay as much attention to the later work as the reputation-building earlier work kinda sag, but this one is strong from start to finish. The compilers eschew the chronological approach, and it works in this case. The material from their 90's releases stands up comfortably with their "classic" 80's work. Highly recommended if you spent the 80's jangling instead of Wang Chunging."

Why?

XraySpex | 03/23/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Dumptruck is one of my favorite bands of all time so giving any CD they release a two hurts, but the selections on this CD are mindnumbingly stupid. Watch Her Fall is the only essential song on here and they make 5 star albums that are incredible without a weak track. Please buy the albums D Is For Dumptruck and For The Country they contain some of the best music from any guitar driven rock with an etheral feel, that makes depressing lyrics fascinating, ever."