I don’t feel like I should be implying that I want them to tone down the eccentricity or individualism of their stuff, but I did prefer the more standard bar band sound.

And yes Marcy, Challengers is definitely growing on me too, but I doubt it’ll make any year-end lists.

this review allays some fears of my own regarding their show, as i think you hit the nail on the head about the perfection of their sound on the record being something that separates you from them ever so slightly.

i’m loving challengers more and more and it’s def. got a spot on my year-end list. i read a review of it on some shabby music website (pfork? he he) and they had the nerve to criticize the album for not having enough “power pop” songs on it. of course, that’s precisely what i love about it, that they notched it back and stripped away a few layers of sound.

was bejar there?

All these terribly similar opinions of far too many bands is beginning to look suspect & make me wonder aloud whether one of us is asleep & dreaming the other. Not, you understand, in a cuddlesome Women in Love wrestling kind of way.

Nice summation of the ‘ographers, though.

DC