Bongwater - Peel Sessions EP (CD)

All Music Guide

Taped for John Peel's BBC Radio broadcast in 1991, this four-song Bongwater EP mostly consists of tracks from the band's Power of Pussy album. Bongwater mainstays Kramer and Ann Magnuson are joined by ex-Shockabilly drummer David Licht and guitarists Dogbowl and Randolph Hudson III for a mix that ranges from the dark-hued folk of "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" to the sprawling big beat rock of "Power of Pussy." Of course, there's plenty of Magnuson's satiric observations and theatrical vocals, along with Kramer's own unique harmony contributions; Licht, Dogbowl, and Hudson avail themselves nicely, too. Rounded out by a countrified take on Roky Erikson's "You Don't Love Me Yet" (originally on Double Bummer) and the driving, jazz-tinged "White Rental Car Blues," Bongwater's Peel Session EP may not be a prime first-disc choice for newcomers, but it certainly will please die-hard fans.

- Stephen Cook, All Music Guide