Pink and Brown - Shame Fantasy II
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Considering the fact that it's been just 13 months since I was writing about their debut, it feels a little strange to be holding a complete discography of Pink & Brown's recorded output, who are now defunct, and which is only around 45 minutes long. This discography is made up of their first (and last) album Final Foods, their contribution to a split 12" (with Death Drug), and their last recording session, which yielded 5 songs and had not yet seen a release.
The three separate chunks of music that comprise their discography show a band getting increasingly better at what they do, as well as how they present it. To illustrate this, I'm going to go through the album in reverse order, as they are in reverse chronological order on the CD. Final Foods was their first release. It was their full length and while there are a few standouts ("Enter Officer, Exit Wound," "The Tunnel," and "Two Clicks Communicator"), it's obviously where they started. The recording quality varies and the songwriting is less exciting. Also, even though this is far from a long CD, by the end the songs begin running together, which lends itself even more to the idea that the album is the weakest of Pink & Brown's efforts.
The split 12" with Death Drug is a quick and energized 5 tracks (with one exception). It opens with "Sherriff Jessum," which shows huge strides they have taken in proving themselves worthy of Lightning Bolt and Arab on Radar's company. After wading through the way too long (at a mere 3:21) "So Long Special Treat," the quickly over "Union Bomb," "Famous Anus," and "Prison in
My Eye" are a much needed burst of energy.
So, what remains are the five new tracks. Recorded on New Years Day, these songs certainly reflect the fact that these guys had been playing a bunch of shows and honing their odd strain of rock and roll. The song that opens Shame Fantasy II is easily the best song Pink & Brown released. Its belligerent swagger, razor sharp guitar, and rapid fire drumming are everything
Pink & Brown were striving for, capturing the energy, excitement, and danger of their live show. "Messy Bessy, Get Undressy" is a huge step forward in their songwriting. A few unexpected chords and some nice dynamics raise the bar for what Pink & Brown are capable. "Puddles of Acid Part 1 & 2" is a distorted reading of the blues filtered through the sweat and piss soaked Pink and Brown jumpsuits that are the foundation of the gimmick behind this band.
While Pink & Brown are certainly not the high profile band that a few of their peers are (Lightning Bolt, Arab on Radar, Oxes, The Flying Luttenbachers, US Maple, etc), they have certainly played an important role in the emergence of this supercharged, deconstructionist rock scene centered around Providence and wherever Weasel Walter is laying his head. And while it seems odd that a compendium of their recordings should be released so soon, it's for the best, because Pink & Brown reached their pinnacle with their dying breath.
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