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Album Details

• Artist: Cracker
• Album: Garage D'or
• Label: Virgin Records
• Year of Release: 2000
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: gwhill on 2013-01-15

One of the bands that emerged when the great Camper Van Beethoven broke up, Cracker has always been an intriguing band that merges a poppy sort of mentality with a great alternative take on retro sounds. They are perhaps similar to what REM might be if Stipe and company didn't take themselves so seriously. Cracker have had a few good solid radio numbers through the time, and every album they have released is very entertaining. This double disc compilation is almost a box set minus the box. It showcases many of the band's more recognized numbers while including obscure material as well. For the avid fan this disc is a must have, while it represents a good starting point for others looking for a taste of this great band. Although, due the compilative nature of this collection, there are many musicians working on the various tracks, the core lineup here is David Lowery, Davey Faragher, and Johnny Hickman.

While Cracker’s music is great, the lyrics are clearly worth mentioning, too. For instance, the opener “Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)” includes these words: "What the world needs now is a new Frank Sinatra / So I can get you in bed / What the world needs now is another folk singer /Like I need a hole in my head." It’s that kind of clever sense of humor that often populates Cracker’s songs. The thing is, in many ways, the music seems to have a similar vibe, with an alternative rock sound that’s both accessible and meaty, but still has a bit of a wink and a nod to it. That opening track is one of the highlights of the set, but there really isn’t a weak number to found throughout the two CDs. That’s how good this band is.

This is clearly recommended for Cracker fans who want to own everything by the band, and there is some rather obscure stuff here. The truth is, though, perhaps more than anything, this would be recommended to those who haven’t really heard much from the group. It presents a good cross-section of Cracker musical history and would be a great introduction. This is a band you really need to check out, and this is a great place to start.

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