R. “reclusive genius” Stevie Moore’s got a new compilation album coming out, his 42nd. This one’s called Personal Appeal and it’s out on Care in the Community Recordings August 5. You know what to do. You won’t fail like last time. Call up all your buddies (yes, even Lance. He’s going through a tough breakup), and have them meet you at dawn with their best shaking sticks. Unless you’re disciplined, you won’t make it. There will be too many songs. You’ll be overwhelmed.
Look, friendo, R. Stevie Moore’s been making music since he was a little kid. He’s been recording in basements across America on to reel-to-reel machines since before you were even that hubristic glimmer in your drunken father’s eye. He’s the “godfather of DIY” for Pete’s sake (Come to think of it, you better call Pete, too, while you’re at it. He’s got a strong wrist that’s pretty much a stick-shaking warhorse. Just make sure he doesn’t try to bring his wife like last time. She’ll only slow you down.) Realistically, R. Stevie Moore has more songs than any sane human would ever think they could even begin to shake a stick at. But you, you’re not sane, you’re not normal. You think you’ve got what it takes.
I’m not here to make any definitive proclamations, sweet cheeks, but I’ll say that you’ve for sure got an uphill battle of vigorous stick shaking ahead of you. Most of the songs here you probably don’t even know about. They’re tracks from Moore’s Cassette Club that were written, recorded, and released between 1973 and 2001 when he was mostly living in New Jersey. These songs are the “un-catalogued well of material that he was creating and self-producing alongside his more ‘official’ output.” Listen to “Sort of Way” below if you’re of a mind to get your shaking tendons all limber.
In addition to the compilation, Personal Injury has recently re-issued a whole slew of Moore’s albums from between 1976 and 1986. But you already knew that, Mr. “I’m Going to Shake a Stick at All of R. Stevie Moore’s Songs Just You Wait and See,” didn’t you?
Personal Appeal tracklist:
01. Why Can’t I Write a Hit?
02. Makeup Shakeup
03. Old
04. Structure of Love
05. The Picture
06. Quarter Peep Show
07. I’ve Begun to Fall in Love
08. Pretend for a Second That You Are Very Intelligent Forecast
09. No Body
10. Man Without a Purpose
11. Treat Me What We Did
12. Copy Me
13. I’m Sorry But Goodnight
• R. Stevie Moore: http://www.rsteviemoore.com
• Care in the Community Recordings: http://www.careinthe.com
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