Creeper Lagoon - live and rare, 1998 and beyond

It only took me about half a decade to get around to dedicating an entry to Creeper Lagoon, so I thought I'd make it count.  For whatever the reason, their first album, I Become Small and Go has beckoned of late, and as utterly compelling as that record is, I'm not one to turn down the invitation.  At all stages of their tenure, Creeper, or more specifically ringleader Ian Sefchick invited a certain curiosity, but none more so than their early endeavors. 

Preceded by a series of lo-fi, sub rosa cassettes bearing titles such as Shasta Complex and Slabco, 1998's I Become Small... was a quantum leap, even by the standards of a well financed ep that dropped one year prior.   Bountiful in it's unfolding textures, wherein woozy flanged guitar lines dovetailed with a bevy of surreal keyboard treatments and incidental accouterments, I Become... nonetheless hinged on Sefchick's subtle melodies and those of his co-conspirator Sharky Laguana.  Luckily, those hooks were not in short supply.  That album is the most ideal jumping off point for those who have yet to make their acquaintance with C/L, but assuming you've already taken the plunge, I submit to you a live soundboard document from the same era.  There is a twist however.  The band didn't select the set list, rather Matt Gentling from Archers of Loaf whom Creeper were opening for that October 29, 1998 evening in Boise, ID.  By and large, the choicest morsels from I Become... are nicely represented...with the exception of my favorite, "Tracy."  Some more words on that song in just a moment.

As a great Creeper fansite makes mention of in their thorough discography, the band has a number of unreleased recordings and demos, many of which were four-tracked by Sefchick.  I've been able to cobble together a dozen such tracks including compilation appearances like "Garden" from a 2002 Noise Pop commemorative disk, and "The Fountain" which originally saw the light of day on the Emusic Care for Kosovo album.  Amidst those two numbers are demos and early incarnations of "Dear Deadly" and the aforementioned pop jewel "Tracy."  More demo madness ensues, including Creeper's take on the Beatles "Because," and a somewhat unorthodox tweaking of My Bloody Valentine's "Lose My Breath."  I won't give away anything else about the remainder, but per the discography on the fansite, if anyone has any of the long lost C/L songs being hosted on the old MP3.com site please give me a shout out.

Since the band dissolution in the mid-00s, Ian Sefchick has moved onto Ghost Baby.  Captain Killjoy said that it was true...

Live, Boise, ID 10/29/98
01) Claustrophobia
02) Dreaming Again
03) Wonderful Love
04) Empty Ships
05) Drop Your Head
06) Black Hole
07) Dear Deadly
08) Instrumental Jam (?)
09) Another Day
10) Centipede Eyes
11) Keep From Moving 

rarities
Because (demo)
Centipede Eyes (demo)
Chain Smoker (orig demo)
Dear Deadly (original)
Don't Forget Me (Ghost Baby demo)
Garden
Keep From Moving (coda) + Dear Deadly (live)
Lose My Breath
The Fountain
There's a New Girl (credited to We Never Landed on the Moon)
Tracy (original)
untitled demo

Live, Boise 10/29/98: Hear
rarities: Hear