PopTodd Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 This just sounds like something that is right up my alley, and right up the alley of a lot of folks here. Anyone know it? Have anything to say about it?An ultra-quirky slice of early '90s art rock, Attributed To Cerebral Corps is playful and weird, but it's also got a solid musical foundation. Singer-songwriters Jeff Saltzmann and Bob Vickers aren't interested in weird for weird's sake; the songs are sturdily melodic and lyrically substantial, so that oddball touches like the toy piano anchoring the opening "Sounding Song" are merely colorful details, not ends in themselves. Saltzmann wrote the majority of the songs, with Vickers adding only one, the sweetly power-poppy "Girl From the Carnival." (There's also an interesting pair of freakbeat covers, Fire's immortal "Father's Name Was Dad" and UK Kaleidoscope's "Music," odd choices for 1992.) Saltzmann's often-surreal lyrics and the unexpected left turns the songs often take give Attributed To Cerebral Corps a surface similarity to Brian Eno's early solo albums; the sometimes disjointed recordings (the result of bass and drum tracks, among other instruments, being added to Saltzmann and Vickers' vocal, guitar and keyboard parts after the fact) further the comparison. Attributed To Cerebral Corps, however, succeeds entirely on its own merits. It's a pity the duo never recorded a follow-up. Mentioning power pop, Kaleidoscope, and early Brian Eno records in the same review?Any takers? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PopTodd Posted March 21, 2011 Author Share Posted March 21, 2011 Just saw this YouTube: Meh. Too blatantly revivalist, yet not as skillfully done as something like The Dukes of Stratosphear, who had the songs to go along with the sound. I'll check out some more of their songs, but if this is the best that they have to offer... nevermind. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ms. yvon Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 i worked with a couple of the guys in cerebral corps back in the day! saw them perform at one of their members weddings. it is killing me that you posted this! such a flashback. jeff saltzman is a producer these days in portland, oregon. discography PAGING PNEYU! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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