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Originally Posted by The Soup Nazi
Yah well how could you not? There was a limited advance release of Mono on its own but as far as I know there's no version of Stereo alone. It was kind of a fuckup, really — Paul said you were supposed to see the Stereo front cover, flip the package and meet Mono by his malevolent alter ego Grandpaboy. So it was meant to be Stereo/Mono, but if you were, say, checking the thing at a record store, you got Stereo's front and back covers without a hint of the other album inside. Shit backfired, then; assclown reviewers called it "Paul Westerberg's new album, Stereo, yet another collection of mostly acoustic mid-tempo songs. A bonus disc of throwaway rockers is included". Motherfuckers.
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I don't remember it that way exactly. I was fully aware of the "Stereo/Mono" thing. I remember that album pretty well, as it soundtracked a cross-country drive in college and resonated heavily with me because of the fucked relationship I was in at the time. Anyhoo, I don't know about the back cover -- who knows where the actual cd is, it's been 15 years -- but I remember it being clear, at least on the inside, that they were two albums. Stereo by PW and Mono by Grandpaboy. I wasn't confused about it, didn't think it was a bonus disc... knew the deal before I owned the album. Pretty sure it was promoted as Stereo/Mono.
I only mention that I bought them together because Mono got its own release ahead of schedule, with a Grandpaboy "tour" before the double alb. even came out. I was just giving some context about when I bought the album.
Anyway I believe you. Stereo is very good too. But Mono was my drug of choice from the first moment.
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Originally Posted by The Soup Nazi
Stereo is its equal, gorgeous, fucked up (three songs end abruptly as the tape runs out [or PW deliberately cut 'em off — believe what you will]; the tracklist goes to hell when the unlisted "Strike Down The Band" sneaks in; after the "last" track there's another hidden tune, a fiery Flesh For Lulu cover (!) driven by chaotic Gasoline Alley-ish drums) and lyrically brutal. The whole two-disc set is the best fucking album of 2002 when you consider that Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is actually a 2001 LP whose release got delayed by moronic corporate boners. But no, The Flaming Mooks were all the goddamn rage. "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots? My fourth graders could have come up with a better album title." —Robert Pollard.
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Oh Fucking Bob Pollard.
Yoshimi was a tremendous album. Better than Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Better than Stereo/Mono. The title is great. Musically is was perfect zag to Soft Bulletin's zig. wasn't album of the year (THAT would have to be a little thing called Murray Street.... duh), but it was a collection of great pop songs. The Flaming Lips hit a home run there. Don't hate.
But at the time, I had Stereo/Mono at #3 I think. Who the fuck can remember now, but Bob Pollard hates any band that can release albums that are good all the way through. Remember that "Fuck Pavement, fuck the Pixies" nonsense? Great songwriter once in a while, but he can drink Yoshimi's piss.
It's a GREAT album title (and great album art)