Big Dipper-Slam (1990)


Artist: Big Dipper 

Title: Slam

Label: Epic

Format: CD

Cat #: EK 46063

Year of Release: 1990

Country and Year of Edition Issue: US 1990

Listed Condition: VG+/VG+

Sell Date: 5/21/21

Sell Price: $2.99

Discogs Last Sold: 4/12/21

Low: $0.01

Median: $1.99

Average: $2.09

High:$3.99

Current low price:$0.61

Current Number on Sale at Discogs:14

Have/Want: 111/9

Where Sold: Jacksonville, FL

Time it took to sell: 10 years

Where and When Bought: online half.com aughts for $0.75

Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: B-

Sad To See It Go: No

 Slam was a album that conceivably broke up Big Dipper once and for all after a run in the second half of the 80's on Homestead Records of quality music.  In retrospect, Slam makes for an engaging listen.  At the time, it seemed like this was a classic indie band goes to major and isn't good anymore.

Well, times change for what is deemed "commercial."  In 1990, those 80's drums still are a bit obtrusive.  One tends to forget all the classic great records this band had a hand in outside of Big Dipper, which meant this album was even more disappointing at the time.  Gary Waleik had his hands in Volcano Suns and Crush and Bill Goffrier was in The Embarrassment.  There was reason to expect this album to be at least as good as the last ones.

It wasn't.  I gave it another shot in the aughts, perhaps around the time Merge recompiled the glory years.  The opening track "Love Barge" is a good lead off choice for single and opening cut.  One disturbing thought was that this was neither commercial or wholly representative of the bands sound save for a handful of tracks.  The band sounds like it is having the most fun covering Mott The Hoople's "All The Way From Memphis."  The rest sounds a bit labored.  There are exceptions like "Monsters of Jazz" and my favorite, "Impossible Things" (before breakfast!) but in the end, even upon relistening just to make sure,  this sounds like another also ran that wasn't ready for prime time coming off an otherwise stellar catalog.  That they don't let it rip until "Blood Pact," the 10th track out of 14 seems regrettable. 

Don't start here.


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