| Answer the Phone, Dummy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1994 | |||
| Genre | Alternative pop | |||
| Label | Sub Pop [1] | |||
| Producer | Kurt Bloch | |||
| Fastbacks chronology | ||||
| ||||
Answer the Phone, Dummy is an album by the American band Fastbacks, released in 1994. [2] [3] The band supported the album with a North American tour. [4]
The album was produced by Kurt Bloch, who also wrote the songs. For the first time in their career, Fastbacks were able to record an album in a single studio, from beginning to end. [5] The band used six different drummers during the recording sessions for Answer the Phone, Dummy. [6]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| Chicago Tribune |  [8] |
| Daily Breeze | [9] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [10] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 7/10 [11] |
Trouser Press wrote that, "between the ganged-up female vocals and the raggedy, surging electric sound, the Fastbacks here resemble a looser-limbed Breeders." [12] Greil Marcus, in Artforum , thought that, "as always, the smallest incidents of memory or present-day this-’n’-that rush forward with a sense of fate and consequence, practical joke and tragedy, puzzlement and wonder." [13] The Chicago Tribune stated that "bassist Kim Warnick and guitarist Lulu Gargiulo are the primary vocalists, and they bring a diehard optimism to even Bloch's most plaintive laments ... Fastbacks deliver fashion-resistant songcraft straight out of the Buzzcocks/Ramones school of pop thrills." [8]
The Times Colonist called the album "an off-centre, modern pop song cycle that is barbed with lyrical and sonic hooks," writing that "Warnick and Gargiulo's garage sale harmonies have an unpretentious, cheesy charm." [14] The Vancouver Sun determined that, "with thrash, crash and some careful guitar musicianship, the band plays solid 'alternative' fare with a healthy dose of humor." [15] The Daily Breeze concluded that "the band has found ways to upgrade its musical proficiency while losing none of its freshness." [9]
AllMusic wrote that, "while Kurt Bloch wrote a batch of great tunes (as usual), this set lacks a certain aural cohesion the pacing is inconsistent, with the album sometimes struggling to maintain a steady momentum." [7]
All tracks are written by Kurt Bloch
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Waste of Time" | |
| 2. | "On the Wall" | |
| 3. | "Went for a Swim" | |
| 4. | "Old Address of the Unknown" | |
| 5. | "Back to Nowhere" | |
| 6. | "BRD 'Coated'" | |
| 7. | "I Found the Star" | |
| 8. | "And You" | |
| 9. | "On Your Hands" | |
| 10. | "I'm Cold" | |
| 11. | "T.H.I.N.K." | |
| 12. | "In the Observatory" | |
| 13. | "Trumpets Are Loud" | |
| 14. | "Meet the Author" | |
| 15. | "Future Right" |
Dummy is the debut studio album by English electronic music band Portishead, released on 22 August 1994 by Go! Beat Records.
Fastbacks are a Seattle, Washington, punk rock band. Formed in 1979 by songwriter/guitarist Kurt Bloch, and friends Lulu Gargiulo and Kim Warnick, they disbanded in 2001 but have reunited multiple times. Their sound mixes a generally punk rock approach to vocals and sound textures with poppy tunes and strong musicianship.
Miscellaneous T is a B-side and remix compilation album released by the alternative rock band They Might Be Giants in 1991. It is a US re-release of Don't Let's Start, with different cover art, track order, and the additional song "Hello Radio".
The Young Fresh Fellows are an American alternative rock group, that was formed in 1981 in Seattle, Washington, United States, by Scott McCaughey and Chuck Carroll. Tad Hutchison, Chuck Carroll's first cousin, joined for the recording of the group's debut album in 1983.
Zücker is the third studio album by the Fastbacks, released in 1993 on Sub Pop. Pitchfork wrote that it "was as close as they came to an alt-rock breakout."
Sicko is an American rock group from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1991. Exceptionally, the three-piece pop punk group has maintained a constant membership for every recording as a band. This line-up is Denny Bartlett, Ean Hernandez, and Josh Rubin. Although the band wrote and recorded an extensive catalog of original material throughout the mid-1990s, the group is perhaps best known for its punk-flavored cover of the song "Closer To Fine", originally written and recorded by the folk duo Indigo Girls.
Five Dollar Bob's Mock Cooter Stew is an EP by the grunge band Mudhoney released on October 26, 1993, by Reprise Records. Mudhoney vocalist Mark Arm described this EP as a chance for the band to "get new songs out for fans in between albums."
Imaginary Friend is the second and final studio album by English indie rock band Th' Faith Healers, released in 1993 by Too Pure. It was released by Elektra Records in the United States.
Infrared Riding Hood is the fourth and final studio album by the American rock band Tad, released in 1995 on EastWest/Elektra Records. It was the follow-up to their major label debut, Inhaler.
Rusty Willoughby is an American musician born in Staten Island and currently living in Vashon, Washington, a suburb of Seattle. As of 2011, he has been vocalist, songwriter and guitarist or bass guitarist for several Seattle based bands: Pure Joy, Flop (1990–1995), Llama (2005–2008), and Cobirds Unite (2010–). He also briefly played drums for the Fastbacks. He also played with Kurt Bloch of the Fastbacks, Jonathan Poneman, and Scott Sutherland in a Cheap Trick cover band called Sick Man of Europe, and appeared in the film Hype!, a documentary directed about the popularity of grunge rock.
Odessa is the first album by American band The Handsome Family. It was released 1994 by Carrot Top Records.
Very, Very Powerful Motor is the second studio album by the Fastbacks, released in 1990 on PopLlama Records.
Kim Warnick is an American rock musician, a former member of Seattle-based bands The Fastbacks (1979–2002) and Visqueen (1998–2004). Described by KIRO-FM in 2016 as a "legendary musician and vocalist," she is the former wife of Ken Stringfellow of The Posies. Officially she retired in 2004, and suffered some serious health issues in the following years, but recovered and has participated in Fastbacks reunion shows, the first of which was in 2011, headlining the West Seattle Summer Fest.
Rope-a-Dope is an album by the American indie rock band Antietam, released in 1994. It is named for the boxing technique. The band supported the album with a North American tour.
Box Set is an album by the American band Wool, released in 1994. Despite its title, Box Set is a studio album. The band supported the album with a North American tour.
White Courtesy Phone is an album by the American musician Angel Corpus Christi, released in 1995. Her major label debut, it was also the first release on Jerry Moss's and Herb Alpert's Almo Sounds label.
Retreat from Memphis is an album by English band the Mekons, released in 1994. It followed a few years of label troubles that saw the band considering a breakup.
The Edge of the World is an album by the British band the Mekons, released in 1986. The album is dedicated to Richard Manuel. The band supported the album with a North American tour.
Please Panic is an album by the American band the Vulgar Boatmen, released in 1992. The band supported the album with North American and European tours. "You Don't Love Me Yet" inspired the title of Jonathan Lethem's 2007 novel.
Dead Dog's Eyeball: Songs of Daniel Johnston is an album by the American musician Kathy McCarty, released in 1994. It contains 19 renditions of songs written by Daniel Johnston. McCarty became aware of Johnston when he opened for her former band, Glass Eye, in 1985. McCarty supported the album with a North American tour. An EP of additional Johnston material, Sorry Entertainer, was released in 1995. Dead Dog's Eyeball was reissued in 2005, with bonus tracks and videos. Johnston and his parents were fans of the album.
