V/A - Been There, Done That comp 7" (1995, Science Project)

Time to get your handkerchiefs out for all you misty-eyed types. That's right, we're taking you back to the '80s (and a little earlier to be exact). Actually, I won't be taking you anywhere, rather four Albuquerque, NM bands, covering some rather classic material on a fun, four-way comp 7." If you know anything about alt-rock music from New Mexico it probably begins and ends with The Shins. A direct antecedent to the Sub Pop all-stars, Flake (later renamed Flake Music and eventually The Shins) turn in a somewhat lukewarm, Weezer-esque reading of The Outfield's AOR classic "Your Love." Scared of Chaka, a flabbergasting power-punk unit (who by the way featured future Shin Dave 'Yanul' Hernandez in their lineup) contribute a barnburning take of the Land of the Lost theme (would have been more enticing had they covered the Wipers song of the same name, furthermore keeping the '80s theme consistent throughout Been There...but anyway). I don't know who Bring Back Dad are, but they mimic the keyboards in their version of Gary Numan's much overplayed "Cars" to a near-fault, but fail to do the remainder of it justice. In fact, it's Treadmill's interpretation of Peter Gabriel's "Shock the Monkey" that takes the cake here in a big way. Definitely some history in the making on this brief and unlikely compilation of future indie-pop darlings.

01. Flake - Your Love
02. Bring Back Dad - Cars
03. Treadmill - Shock the Monkey
04. Scared of Chaka - Land of the Lost

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