Donner Party - Complete Recordings, 1987-1989 (CD)

All Music Guide

As Donner Party's first two self-titled albums have long been out-of-print, this CD anthology combining the two with a previously unreleased third album and some live tracks is the ultimate collection. The band's naive melodies, surreal lyrics, and songwriter Sam Coomes' delivery have all worn the test of time. Though the third album is a shade more experimental/instrumental ("Chocolate Shake," "Nutty Booty"), advanced, and heavier ("King Chico," "Trepanned") than the first two, it's only by a matter of degrees. The off-kilter harmonies and skewed rock melodies that fans grew to love are at the core of Donner Party's groundbreaking sound that would later become identified as "'indie-rock." Ironically, they turn in a straightforward cover of the Who's "Squeeze Box."

- Denise Sullivan, All Music Guide