The 1986 Listening Post - Let's Active - Big Plans for Everybody

Let's Active - Big Plans for Everybody

#177/1342

May 17 1986

Let’s Active

Big Plans for Everybody

Genre: Jangle Pop

3.5 out of 5

Highlights:

Last Chance Town

Route 67

Did we talk about how this is one of the worst named bands in the history of rock? We should have. I believe the band even hated the name. 

If you go back and read the review of Cypress you could just plug in this title and the review would be the same, for the most part. 

As a songwriter Mitch Easter is a terrific producer. For REM. And Cowboy and Spin Girl. But he can’t find the songs himself. It’s a shame. You can hear all the potential (see: “Talking to Myself” “Last Chance Town” “Still Talking to Myself) and it never gets there.

The best track here is the instrumental “Route 67” and that speaks volumes.

https://music.apple.com/us/album/big-plans-for-everybody/715588574

The 1984 Listening Post - Let's Active - Cypress

Let's Active - Cypress

#350
1984 Housekeeping
Let's Active
Cypress
3 out of 5

You know, I really should've known more about Let's Active before this.
I love R.E.M. and he produced their breakthrough stuff.
I worked with Frank Bednash and he and his wife's band, Cowboy & Spin Girl had their first single produced by Mitch and it was, I recall, excellent.
So, how is it I've never heard Let's Active, his actual band?

It's...psychedelic The Byrds, no?
Which is sort of what REM was, too.
In fact, this sounds a bit like REM in a lot of places...all the places except...the songs, actually.
It's cute, yes, but it's not better than, say, The Long Ryders. In fact, I would say that it's very weak in comparison to other Jangle Pop of the era.
And then it hits me. Right around "Co-Star". This sounds like some of the midwest bands on the Red Snerts compilation in the early 80s.
Which is to say, meh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lUJzDNHYic