The Texas Instruments - Crammed Into Infinity (1991, Rockville)

Here's another quick and dirty CD upload while I buy myself some time to transcribe more vinyl to ones and zeroes. Not particularly rare (you can buy a gently used copy from Amazon for about the price of a postage stamp - no joke), or one of the crown jewels in my collection, but still worthy nevertheless. At the urging of a record store clerk many years ago, it was suggested I buy a used cassette of this album with the expectation that I would find The Texas Instruments akin to a Superchunk soundalike. Utter nonsense as it turned out, but I digress. Their third album, Crammed Into Infinity remains my only exposure to this Austin, TX quartet, and I certainly hope it doesn't stay that way. The album is rooted in the college rock environs of it's era, but with it's loose dexterity, a la the Velvet Underground, the Instruments aren't wont to be anchored in any particular neighborhood (and none-too-shy about dabbling in country and folk I might add). According to the estimable Trouser Press:

The band finally blossomed on Crammed Into Infinity: the music is more precise, while the lyrics hit hard with observant social sketches and pointed cultural muckraking. "Don't Force Me (To Force You)" smartly compares the vision of society's marginals to those who have it easy; the weary, insanely catchy title track is a nonpareil rock'n'roll song.

That too I suppose. Enjoy.

 

01-Crammed Into Infinity

02-Don't Force Me (To Force You)

03-Hanging By a Thread

04-Standing Here Wondering Which Way to Go

05-World's Gotten Smaller

06-Walking Question Mark

07-Big White House

08-She's Not Free

09-Decade of Denial

10-Over Before it Started

 

Hear