[.ca] Take A Look Inside

From Amazon.com:
His work in Sebadoh might have endeared him to a generation of mopey hipsters, but it took the Folk Implosion's left-field Top 40 hit "Natural One" to raise Lou Barlow's profile in Middle America. If you're looking for nothing more challenging than the pop propensity of that song (which does not appear here), this much headier disc may make for uneasy listening--but only at first. Barlow and partner John Davis have an uncanny knack for crafting ambient tunes--like the reverb-laden "Blossom"--that insinuate themselves into your skull after a few listens. The duo takes plenty of chances, building rickety sound-collages ("Sputnik's Down") and donning Mod duds (for the punchy title track), and by cramming 14 songs into just over 22 minutes, they insure that the disc contains a little something for everyone. --David Sprague

perfect pop with a lo-fi heart but a hi-fi soul.:
Good things come in small packages. At only 22 minutes long, "Take a look inside..." sounds as complete as any 75 minute long album. Often regarded as lou barlow's "other" band, the folk implosion's first album is a short, firey, lo fi dream. Ditching the negativity from his previous Sebadoh albums, Lou Barlow and John Davis (ex-Palace Music) have crafted a gem. The opening "Blossom" well, blossoms and the closing "Start again" stumbles and jolts around like a runaway rollercoaster. The focus appears to be more towards a fun recording. Lou and John sing in unison without a care in the world (see the sleazy "Slap Me" or the urgent "Sputnik's Down") while the guitars intertwine and caress the beautifully sloppy drums and smooth basslines. Only when they get a little self indulgent does the album veer towards the niggling side. "Winter's Day" is the guilty party here. However, with some startlingly fresh tracks like "Butterfly-Spiderweb" and the title track along with a sneaky cover ("Waltzin with yr ego"), "Take a look inside" is refreshing and well worth seeking.

best folk implosion yet:
I bought this record when it first came out in the early 90's and I loved all 25 minutes of it. I can't tell you how many times I have jigged to Sputnik's Down and wiggled to Slap Me. Would love to hear more of this from Mr. Barlow and Mr. Davis.

WIERD:
this cd truly encompases the alternative genre. it sucks but it's great at the same time. my favorite track is slap me. although these boys are a little inexperienced when it comes to songwriting, they will keep you on the edge of your seat by testing the limits of how much the human brain can take.

Pure-pop:
This is a great album. If you like Sebadoh I'm not sure if I would recommend this because it is very very different. These are like early Beatles pop songs. They're fun. They're great. And you can dance with your kids!

More credit:
Lou Barlow is one of the greatest song writers ever. He has PLENTY of experience writing songs. I think the sound they went for with Folk Implosion is great!

• Blossom
• Sputnik's Down
• Slap Me
• Chicken Squawk
• Spiderweb-Butterfly
• Had to Find Out
• Better Than Allrite
• Why Do They Hide
• Winter's Day
• Boyfriend, Girlfriend
• Shake a Little Heaven
• Waltzin' With Your Ego
• Take a Look Inside
• Start Again