The 1986 Listening Post - The Dream Syndicate - Out of the Grey

The Dream Syndicate - Out of the Grey

#182/1347

May 23 1986

The Dream Syndicate

Out of the Grey

Genre: Rock

3.5 out of 5

Oh, REM, what did you do? 

Maybe that’s not totally fair. After all, the Paisley Underground sound has been bubbling around for a while and REM just made it sound more fresh and cutting edge than others had. 

The Dream Syndicate, with this record, couldn’t sound more OF the middle 80s if they tried. It’s wholly of that era. You could see them opening for Stipe and the guys and wondering why they aren’t selling that many t-shirts. 

The charm, songs and charisma is just not there, guys. Try as you might. 

This isn’t Dusty and Donny, but that’s probably because they are trying too hard. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/out-of-the-grey-deluxe-edition/152513730

The 1985 Listening Post - Donny & Dusty - The Lost Weekend

Donny & Dusty - The Lost Weekend

#157

May 13 1985

Donny & Dusty

The Lost Weekend

Genre: Cowpunk

4.5 out of 5

Highlights:

The Word is Out

Song for the Dreamers

Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door

Take one part Green on Red (a band that I never really cared for) and another part Dream Syndicate (a band I felt is pretentious and annoying at times, not really dreamy) and add 3 parts The Long Ryders (Who are excellent) and what do you get? 

You seem to get a bunch of drinking buddies who have access to a studio to play around and jam and come up with a ramshackle of terrific Cowpunk stuff.

Legend has it this album was recorded in one beer fueled evening.

Doesn’t sound like it. Sounds like songsmiths getting together and enjoying the shit out of themselves.

This album is a delight.

Put it on with Long Ryders and Beat Farmers (and Lone Justice and Jason and the Scorchers, maybe) and hit shuffle, go out in the backyard, fire up the grill, pop open some cold ones and toss a ball with your kid, throw the frisbee with your dog (he doesn’t care if your drunk, long as you aren’t an angry drunk), laugh with your friends, it’s summer, man.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-lost-weekend/293530076

The 1984 Listening Post - The Dream Syndicate - Medicine Show

The Dream Syndicate - Medicine Show

#140

June

The Dream Syndicate

Medicine Show

3 out of 5

Highlights:

John Coltrane Stereo Blues 

How did I get confused? I thought Dream Syndicate was a British group. Not a Los Angeles Velvet Underground/Lou Reed wannabe band. 

Anyways. I’m looking for something to grab me and there’s nothing. It’s perfectly fine opening band music. The INXS sounding “Armed with an Empty Gun” is the closest we get to something fun or even close to memorable but that’s undone by its own gigantic helping of self importance. Following it with “Bullet with My Name@ can’t be an accident. But it is pretentious and not backed up by skilled songsmithing. 

I was expecting some psychedelic dream pop. This is attempted Goth rock. But 45 Grave has nothing to worry about, Dream Syndicate isn’t even close. 

I will say that a bumpy landing into the snow covered Victoria at twilight is better when “John Coltrane Stereo Blues” is the soundtrack. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/medicine-show/278452294