Acid Bubblegum

Editorial Reviews
Album Details
New CD, No Tracklisting Available Yet.

Tracks:

Turn It Into Hate
Sharpening Axes
Get Over It And Move On
Bubblegum Cancer
Impenetrable
She Never Let Me Down
Obsessed With Aretha
Beancounter
Girl At The End Of The Pier
Baggage
Milk Train
Character Assassination
They Got It Wrong (As Usual)

Amazon.com

"I don't appeal to the masses," Graham Parker sings on "Sharpening Axes" from his new album, Acid Bubblegum, "and they don't appeal to me." This album's very title suggests his deep mistrust of mass success and popular taste in a world where poisons are marketed via cartoon camels, their praises sung by gold-chained gangstas and their dangerous lure lamented by big-haired news anchors. Popular acceptance has barely touched Parker in his 20-year career, but the one-time London pub-rocker remains one of pop music's most cantankerous, most insightful misanthropes--and one of its best singers as well. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews:

"I don't appeal to the masses, and they don't appeal to me...".......2005-11-10

Graham Parker's venomous wit shines here on "Acid Bubblegum." This was in fact my intro to Parker. "I'd seen him perform "Obsessed with Aretha" on some TV show, and I went right out and found the CD.

Powerful, angry stuff from Parker and the Figgs. "Obsessed" is a very accurate take on the pop scene, at that time and now, with Parker pointing his guns at Aretha, white-soul girl wannabes, and loser boy bands. Journalists (especially the "gutter press") also come in for a reaming.

"Turn it Into Hate" kicks off, with horns to back up the guitar/bass/drum setup, and damn if it doesn't sound like Iraq, now...the title quote is from "Sharpening Axes," another laser attack on the masses. "Bubblegum Cancer" was probably my favorite track, with some exceptional lyrical turnarounds.

"She Never Let Me Down" and "Girl At the End of the Pier" are fine ballads, with the latter having a Parkerish ending.

All in all, a set of great songs, with Parker's poison-pen style making for an entertaining and insightful recording.

Head and shoulders above most everything else out there.......2004-02-26

This record was head and shoulders above most everything available in '96 when it was released and it is way better than most of today's schlock that gets so much attention. A big departure (return to form?) after 12 Haunted Episodes (which is a very different record, but also VERY much worth owning.)

It's a shame that gp never has gotten the recognition he deserves. This is intelligent and danceable music. There are numerous excellent songs on the record, but "Obsessed with Aretha" is, alone, worth the price of the disc, if you can find it.

The Return Of The Acid.......2002-08-07

This surprising little album is a return to form of sorts for GP. After the excellent STEADY NERVES Parker began to descend into the abyss of adult contemporary schlock, with 12 HAUNTED EPISODES he literally hit rock bottom. Of course, from there, there was no where to go but up, and up he went, way up! Musically he hasn't gone back quite to the glory days of THE REAL MacCAW and HOWLING WIND, but this album is musically as exciting as THE MONA LISA'S SISTER, which is a pretty fair jump after 12 HE. Parker's lyrical strength has always been in his venom, and here, suddenly GP remembered he was angry. Gone is the overly sentimental family man who was increasingly expressing only his own emotions, GP has returned to sharp social commentary, and I welcome it. When he started out, GP was basically a harder, better version of Elvis Costello. An angry young man's angry young men, if he hasn't quite returned to that he's probably come as close as is possible. Highly recommended for long time fans, and also a good starter for newbies. I also recommend THE LAST GREAT ROCK N ROLL TOUR and any GP album before 1990. Especially worthy tracks include: 'Turn It Into Hate' 'Get Over It And Move On' and especially 'Obsessed With Aretha' but all are excellent.

A return to form.......2000-05-31

Briefly, if you like his early stuff, you should like this album. All but a handful of songs rock and will have you humming along. This is the kind of album that would sell 500,000 copies, if only people were forced to listen to it and given a lyric sheet.

Surprisingly strong.......2000-04-23

Perhaps it's unfair to call this a return to form on the heels of only one poor album ("12 Haunted Episodes") but it's a pleasant surprise to hear Parker stripped down and slamming away on this disc. "Sharpening Axes," "Impenetrable," "Obsessed with Aretha," and "Character Assassination" are top-notch. Still, the CD could have used a little trimming ("Get Over it and Move On," "Bubblegum Cancer.") And the sound goes a bit overboard. You want more bass, Graham, you don't want to get anywhere near slickness -- I get it! Oh, well, turn the treble up two notches and you'll be fine. Overall, this is good stuff.

Average customer rating:

Alexis Gewertz Shepard
Alexis Gewertz Shepard
Manufacturer: Alexis Gewertz Shepard
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000CA3GR2
Release Date: 2003-02-04

Tracks:

Like My Mom
You Fooled Us All
Purple Ray Gun
Next Door to Nothing
Pass It On
Bad Mood
Woman and Her Rats
Grandma
Lip Gloss
Hippie Frisbee Boy
Homebody
Look Out
Jerk
Flirting
Not That Time
Discount Shopping

Average customer rating:

Acid Bubblegum
Graham Parker
Manufacturer: Castle
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00007IQ0J
Release Date: 2003-03-31

Average customer rating:

Best Parker In A Long Time!

Acid Bubblegum
Graham Parker
Manufacturer: Castle
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Rock | Imports | Stores | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000G5XB
Release Date: 1996-10-15

Tracks:

Turn It into Hate
Sharpening Axes
Get over It and Move On
Bubblegum Cancer
Impenetrable
She Never Let Me Down
Obsessed With Aretha
Beancounter
Girl at the End of the Pier
Baggage
Milk Train
Character Assasination
They Got It Wrong (As Usual)

Album Details

New CD, No Tracklisting Available Yet.

Customer Reviews:

Best Parker In A Long Time!.......2001-03-07

This surprising little album is a return to form of sorts for GP. After the excellent STEADY NERVES Parker began to descend into the abyss of adult contemporary schlock, with 12 HAUNTED EPISODES he literally hit rock bottom. Of course, from there, there was no where to go but up, and up he went, way up! Musically he hasn't gone back quite to the glory days of THE REAL MacCAW and HOWLING WIND, but this album is musically as exciting as THE MONA LISA'S SISTER, which is a pretty fair jump after 12 HE. Parker's lyrical strength has always been in his venom, and here, suddenly GP remembered he was angry. Gone is the overly sentimental family man who was increasingly expressing only his own emotions, GP has returned to sharp social commentary, and I welcome it. When he started out, GP was basically a harder, better version of Elvis Costello. An angry young man's angry young men, if he hasn't quite returned to that he's probably come as close as is possible. Highly recommended for long time fans, and also a good starter for newbies. I also recommend THE LAST GREAT ROCK N ROLL TOUR and any GP album before 1990. Especially worthy tracks include: `Turn It Into Hate' `Get Over It And Move On' and especially `Obsessed With Aretha' but all are excellent.

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