You're My Favorite Waste Of Time - Marshall Crenshaw & The Handsome, Ruthless And Stupid Band
Somebody Like You
Rave On (Live, 1982)
The Usual Thing (Live, 1982)
Stop Her On Sight (S.O.S.) (Live, 1982)
Look At What I Almost Missed (Live, 1982)
I've Been Good To You (Live, 1981)
Marshall Crenshaw's self-titled debut arrived at a time when post-New Wave rockers were examining the music of past decades and adapting its sounds and attitudes to their own. Crenshaw's dead-on melodic sensibility, emp... more »athetic lyrics, and deeply ingrained sense of pop structure and sound made the record 1982's best. This special edition--intended, like the "hits" package This Is Easy, to reintroduce the singer to the audience he's always deserved but often failed to find--includes nine bonus tracks that collect some fine rarities (the cheeky B-sides "You're My Favorite Waste of Time" and "Somebody Like You") and illuminate Crenshaw's deep connection to older soul and rock. To hear Crenshaw and band play obscurities by the Miracles, the Parliaments, and Edwin Starr to roaring early-'80s crowds is to be reminded of a brief but highly optimistic era that Crenshaw's vision all but personified. --Rickey Wright« less
Marshall Crenshaw's self-titled debut arrived at a time when post-New Wave rockers were examining the music of past decades and adapting its sounds and attitudes to their own. Crenshaw's dead-on melodic sensibility, empathetic lyrics, and deeply ingrained sense of pop structure and sound made the record 1982's best. This special edition--intended, like the "hits" package This Is Easy, to reintroduce the singer to the audience he's always deserved but often failed to find--includes nine bonus tracks that collect some fine rarities (the cheeky B-sides "You're My Favorite Waste of Time" and "Somebody Like You") and illuminate Crenshaw's deep connection to older soul and rock. To hear Crenshaw and band play obscurities by the Miracles, the Parliaments, and Edwin Starr to roaring early-'80s crowds is to be reminded of a brief but highly optimistic era that Crenshaw's vision all but personified. --Rickey Wright
CD Reviews
Right Sound, Wrong Time
Steven Clem Haley | Stillwater, Oklahoma United States | 06/11/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Yes we can all whine about how under-rated Marshall has always been. But what good would that do us or him? Let's move on. Simply put, Crenshaw is THE most amazing song-crafter I have ever heard. In 1981 Glam-rock and Arena-rock were selling out concerts all over the world. We were living in a musical world that wanted to buy the sizzle and not the steak. You remember the concerts where the quality of the band was how many guitars and Marshall amps were built across the back of the stage like cliffs of the California coast. The sales of a group's music was based on how much spandex and hair spray they wore. Video was changing the way we bought music. We now bought it for the way it looked rather than how it sounded.But humbly, with no marketing support, no big name producer, dressed like the guy you used to beat up after chemistry tests for not letting you cheat, Crenshaw makes his first statement in this album. And with this one album, the word "Pop" is clarified. All of a sudden, tunes now mean something. Simple lyrics, albeit not Pulitzer prize-winning, stay in your head and cause you to think "I know exactly what he 's talking about." Suddenly we want to ask out our high school sweetheart again. Suddenly we want to just hang out on the hood of the car.By the time we heard this -as well as his second album "Field Trip", we had tired of being told what we should listen too on the radios and video channels. We yearned to go back home.This, fellow Boomers, is a trip back home."
Overlooked Gem
Thomas Magnum | NJ, USA | 09/14/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Marshall Crenshaw achieved his greatest commercial and critical success with the release of his debut album. It is an impressive debut and 18 years after its release, Rhino Records has rereleased the album with a slew of bonus tracks. The original album is a pure power-pop treasure that is an overlooked gem. "There She Goes Again", "She Can't Dance", "Rockin' Around NYC" and "Mary Anne" are great examples of Mr. Crenshaw's ability to record short, snappy and hummable songs that will stick in your head. "Someday, Someway" was his only top forty hit, just barely scrapping in at #38, and is an immediately catchy number. I think the best song on the album and a song that should have been a hit is "Cynical Girl". It has a ringing guitar and some of the sharpest lyrics around. As usual with a Rhino release there are numerous bonus tracks and the nine included here are mostly demos and live songs. There is no filler amongst them and they only help to add to original tracks. Mr. Crenshaw has released numerous album since this one, has appeared as Buddy Holly in the movie LaBamba and co-wrote the Gin Blossoms hit "Till I Hear It From You", but he unfortunately has never come close to having another hit on his own since this record and it is shame. Rolling Stone included the album in it's top 100 of the 1980's and it is deserving of the honor."
Crenshaw Delux
James Simon | New York, NY USA | 08/16/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"What a pleseant surprise that the great folks at Rhino have not just remastered Marshall Crenshaw's debut album, but have jam packed enough bonus material that nearly doubles it's original running time. There's even a "mystery" bonus track at the end of track 21, an extremely catchy song called " Brand New Lover". Why hide it is a mystery to me. The album itself has always been a good one with classics like "Someday, Someway" and "There She Goes Again". The bonus tracks are mostly great gems including the B-sides "You're My Favorite Waste Of Time" and "Somebody Like You", last seen on the out of print compilation "Attack Of The Killer B's" (Hey WB, how about reissuing those albums, too?). There's the beautiful '79 demos of "Starlit Summer Sky" which he had packed away for '96's Miracle Of Science record (which I highly recommend) and "Rave On" firming up those Buddy Holly comparrisons which he's thankfully moved on from. A very enjoyable album, and worth upgrading to if you own the original."
Believe the Hype!
paperbackriter | USA | 09/08/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Perhaps the media doesn't possess such all encompassing power afterall. Lord knows the hierarchy of rock critics did its darndest to make Marshall Crenshaw a star back in '82 when this brilliant debut hit the shelves. Yet, despite the well deserved publicity blitz, Mr.Crenshaw has toiled in relative obscurity for two decades. To its credit the media, not exactly known for restraint when it comes to glorifying talentless blow-hards, was right about Crenshaw and this self-titled salute to rock-n-roll's romantic past. By sheer coincidence, a guy whose face resembled Buddy Holly's and whose voice somewhat resembled John Lennon's, was a major talent himself. The chiming guitars, soaring melodies and undeniable hooks of "There She Goes", "Cynical Girl" and "Someday Someway" more than hint at the virtuoso skills of this gifted songwriter. Like all of rock's great tunesmiths -- Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Brian Wilson, etc. -- Crenshaw is a disciple of the less is more school. A quick intro, short verse then wham -- he hits you with a giant hook which leaves you not only wanting more, but keeps you singing that darn song over and over in your head. One listen to the layered harmonies of "Mary Anne" and "Girls" will leave you hooked and wondering how these tasty pieces of pop perfection failed to gain notice. But hey, at least the folks at Rhino Records noticed and deemed it worthy of re-release complete with a slick remastering job. The audio improvement is noticeable in the overall clarity and separation of instruments. Best of all, Rhino tossed in a whopping 10 bonus tracks! (The 10th extra track is an unlisted alternate take of "Brand New Lover". You'll find it right after "I've Been Good to You".) For my money, the coolest tracks are Marshall's homemade, one-man-band demo's for "Starlit Summer Sky", "Whenever You're on My Mind" and "You're My Favorite Waste of Time". Longtime Crenshaw fans will be familiar with the big budget studio versions of these songs, but the professional versions lack the the off-the-cuff charm of the demos. Overall, a nice re-packaging of a classic album. "Marshall Crenshaw" is that rare record that actually lived up to the hype surrounding its release. The perfect blend of intelligent songcraft and irresistable hooks make this essential listening. Check it out!"
One of the finest pop rock albums ever made!
Bob Martinez | Brooksville, FL USA | 08/30/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I never heard a cut of this album, when I first purchased it in 1982. Only bought it from reviews. It is one of the finest pop rock albums ever made. A power pop trio with beautiful songs: Mary-Ann, There She Goes Again, Cynical Girl, Someday Someway, Girls. Crenshaw's urgency, intelligence and charming songs make this a poignant album of rock at its best. The spirit of Buddy Holly and Early Beatles lives on. I'm not easily influenced, but this CD is a model of what great pop tunes should be! Buy It! You'll carry this one to your grave!"
Track Listings (21) - Disc #1