albums
Sessions
1988 Apostrophe
1988 Gourmet
1988 Induces Vomitting
1988 Best of IPECAC
1988 Fake Reverb
1988 Here and Now
1988 Leaping Leper Limousine
1988 Catharsis
1989 Best of IPECAC 2
1989 Fake Reverb 2
1990 Live at Carnegie Hall
1990 Extras
Compilations
1990 Complete IPECAC
2012 IPECAC Picks

Track List

# title lyrics time download listen started recorded rating
1 My Familiar - 4:01 download listen locally - 1988-09-24
2 Recumbency - 4:59 download listen locally - 1988-09-24
3 Fortify lyrics 9:25 download listen locally - 1988-09-24
4 Dead Air - 4:10 download listen locally - 1988-09-24
Total 22:35 play all locally album rating:

Notes

Fake Reverb was a "pure improv" session, consisting of long and "funky" instrumentals and no previously written songs. We recorded everything "live" (with no overdubs) [NOTE: but what about "Dead Air"?] and didn't take very many musical risks. This project was our attempt at "winging it" like we did in Induces Vomitting, but with more restraint.

The results were listenable but not very exciting. It wasn't turning out as catchy and memorable as we'd hoped. In reaction, we decided to abandon the album and go write some songs before recording again. [hey, wasn't that our "resolution" after Best of IPECAC? I guess sitting down and writing songs wasn't as easy as we'd thought.]

We must've really disliked Fake Reverb a lot, since we lost the tape for two years!

Songs

My Familiar

For such as simple orchestration (me on keyboards, Jon on sax, no drums, no overdubs), we got a surprisingly rock-ish feel out of this song. We ended up recording it twice more.

The original title was "Smooth Syrum". Perhaps it was intended as our post-Apostrophe theme song? We later renamed it "My Familiar" (on Catharsis).

Recumbency

This song is half reggae choppiness, half canon-esque sappy glop.

Yeah, these liner notes are getting less and less formal as I proceed through the albums. Oh well. So much for preserving IPECAC's dignity.

Snort!

Fortify

Relentless, funky disco-jam. Nice solos by Jon. This is my favorite song on Fake Reverb.

It goes on a little too long, though. You can only get so many minutes out of the same canned drum beat and bassline before monotonotonotony sets in.

Lyrics to "Fortify":

TRAV:
  hit it
  wooh

JON:
  yeah, hit it
  

Dead Air

I think Jon hopped on keyboards and I squawked away on his sax. How else can you explain these awful sounds?

I'm guessing we did two tracks each. There might be some cornet in there. Either that, or two saxes. Regardless of which instrument is making which awful noises, this is pretty bad.