1992's It's A Shame About Ray is widely accepted as
Lemonheads' finest half-hour, bridging the gap between Evan Dando's more
shambolic, punk-influenced days and the half-assing that came after it. Sixteen
years later, it sounds slightly dated but no less sunny and terrific—the
jangly guitars define Alternative Nation's best days, when indie-rock, such as it
was, could still safely flirt with the mainstream. "Confetti" and "It's A Shame
About Ray" could find a home on the radio in any decade since, and the quiet
strum of "My Drug Buddy" and especially "Hannah & Gabi" offer concrete
proof that Dando was so much more than just a pretty face. Ray still feels classic,
front to back, and that includes the star-making, tacked-on cover of "Mrs.
Robinson."
This collector's-edition reissue adds a bunch of
tracks that sound promising on paper, but don't really deliver. Demo versions
of nine Ray
songs offer an intimate look but ultimately reveal nothing; this set would've been
far better served by some of the many Lemonheads B-sides, or even a
better-recorded acoustic set, where Dando generally delivers. The accompanying
DVD offers a straight reissue of the previously VHS-only Two Weeks In
Australia,
which gathers music videos ("It's A Shame About Ray" stars Johnny Depp) and
some live clips. It's far from essential, but still fun—especially if you
want to see the man who defined dreamy in the 120 Minutes era wearing jean shorts.
Bonus Material: C