In Situ Sound celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of the advent of Chicago indie-rock jalopy, Number One Cup, with this nearly three-hour, fifty (!) track collection of rarities. "Rock N' Roll" - as this collection is known - moves in roughly chronological order from the ramshackle lo-fi glory of Possum Trot Plan, to the road-tested heft and heartfelt balladry of Wrecked By Lions, to the off-kilter angles of People People Why Are We Fighting? At least two of the members have confided that, to them, this is the *real* Number One Cup: a better representation of this super-democratic band's exploratory, off-the-cuff nature than the albums, while also displaying a more complex and honest mix of sincerity and irony than they could convey in public.
Songs extracted from the following sources:
1. John Peel Answering Tape (self-explanatory and miraculous)
2. Connecticut (Sweet Pea single, 1994)
3. Bat Masterson Relationship (Sweet Pea single, 1994)
4. Ohio Arts (Chris Holmes session, 1994)
5. Unshure (Chris Holmes session, 1994)
6. New Serious One (rehearsal, 1994)
7. Snow Day (rehearsal, 1994)
8. Suffer (Idful session, 1995)
9. Another Superman (Pop Stock cassette, 1995)
10. Divebomb (“Indie Softcore Denial,” Sweet Pea, 1994)
11. That’s the Spirit (“Indie Softcore Denial,” Sweet Pea, 1994)
12. I’m Found Out (“Indie Softcore Denial,” Sweet Pea, 1994)
13. Rent-a-Tent (“Indie Softcore Denial,” Sweet Pea, 1994)
14. Favorite Record (rehearsal, 1995)
15. So Sad (rehearsal, 1995)
16. Marguerite Duras (4-track home recording, 1996)
17. Sleeping Genius (4-track home recording, 1996)
18. Family of Scatterable Mines (WNUR session, 1996)
19. Anything Can Happen (live at Lounge Ax, Chicago, 1996)
20. Fraction Dove (live at Lounge Ax, Chicago, 1996)
21. Hole in my Heart (rehearsal, 1995)
22. False Teeth Chatter (live at Cicero’s, St. Louis, 1996)
23. Right Side Rocket (live at Lounge Ax, 1996)
24. Track Star (Stroppy session, 1996)
25. Divebomb (BFBS session, 1996)
26. Felt Eraser (Papa N'aime Pas Le Bruit, 1996)
27. Silicon Teens (b-side, “Just Let’s Go” single, 1996)
28. Premium Invisible (b-side, “Just Let’s Go” single, 1996)
29. Unprepared (live at Lounge Ax, 1996)
30. Joe the Lion (b-side, “Divebomb” single, 1996)
31. Aspirin Burns (Sound Opinions session, 1996)
32. Malcolm’s X-Ray Picnic (live with John Peel, BBC1, 1996)
33. Waiting on the Lions (live with John Peel, BBC1, 1996)
34. The New Virginia (rehearsal, 1997)
35. Cannibal Stalk (rehearsal, 1997)
36. Smile, It’s Sugar (split single with Spare Snare, 1997)
37. The Narrative Sky (GLR session, London, 1997)
38. The Monkey Song (Peel Session, BBC1, 1997)
39. The Tongue of 2 a.m. (3 a.m. remix) (unreleased, 1997)
40. (Who Awaits) The Countdown? (Peel Session, BBC1, 1997)
41. Cry U.S.A. (unreleased People People outtake, 1998)
42. Captive (unreleased People People outtake, 1998)
43. Modus (unreleased People People outtake, 1998)
44. By Design (b-side from People People sessions, 1998)
45. Jigsaw Puzzle (b-side from People People sessions, 1998)
46. Teenage Kicks (b-side from People People sessions, 1998)
47. Little Johnny Jewel (b-side from People People sessions, 1998)
48. Astronaut (JamTV acoustic session, 1998)
49. Lonesome Day (JamTV acoustic session, 1998)
50. Little Wing (JamTV acoustic session, 1998)
Contributors (some tracks):
John Przyborowski – bass, vocals
Jenni Snyder – bass, vocals
Kurt Volk – bass
Possible Contributors (who can remember?):
Don Yanek, Ann-Marie Riederer, Jeff Boyd,
Mike Kirts, Dave Trumfio, Jim Newberry
All songs by Number One Cup, except:
“Anything Can Happen” by the Clean
“Silicon Teens” by the Pulsars
“Joe the Lion” by David Bowie
“Smile, it’s Sugar” by Spare Snare
“The Monkey Song” by the Mountain Goats
“By Design” by Rites of Spring
“Jigsaw Puzzle” by the Rolling Stones
“Teenage Kicks” by the Undertones
“Little Johnny Jewel” by Television
“Lonesome Day” by Woodie Guthrie
“Little Wing” by Neil Young
supported by 4 fans who also own “Rock N' Roll (Demos, B-sides, Rehearsal Tapes, Radio Performances, Live Recordings and other minor masterpieces)”
Just a relentlessly engaging record by a great band. 90's US Alt Rock? Sure, but this transcends any label you might want to pin on it. 28 years old? That too, but it still sounds so fresh it could have dropped yesterday. Oh,,,and that voice. A timeless work of art. It'slove
Mostly written & recorded during lockdown, the latest from Oregon group Corvair is big on early ’80s FM rock hooks & power pop charm. Bandcamp New & Notable Feb 28, 2021
