Big Shot Chronicles [Bonus Tracks]

Liner Note Authors: Gil Ray; Jason Cohen; Dan Vallor; Stephin Merritt.
Recording information: Big Shot Photo Lab, Berkeley, CA (08/26/1985-04/24/1985); Drive-In-Studio, Winston-Salem, NC (08/26/1985-04/24/1985); Lowa State University, Ames, IA (08/26/1985-04/24/1985); Metro Detroit Danceteria, Canton, MI (08/26/1985-04/24/1985); The Coffee House, Davis, CA (08/26/1985-04/24/1985); The Metro Lounge, Cincinnati, OH (08/26/1985-04/24/1985); Big Shot Photo Lab, Berkeley, CA (09/05/1985); Drive-In-Studio, Winston-Salem, NC (09/05/1985); Lowa State University, Ames, IA (09/05/1985); Metro Detroit Danceteria, Canton, MI (09/05/1985); The Coffee House, Davis, CA (09/05/1985); The Metro Lounge, Cincinnati, OH (09/05/1985); Big Shot Photo Lab, Berkeley, CA (09/10/1985); Drive-In-Studio, Winston-Salem, NC (09/10/1985); Lowa State University, Ames, IA (09/10/1985); Metro Detroit Danceteria, Canton, MI (09/10/1985); The Coffee House, Davis, CA (09/10/1985); The Metro Lounge, Cincinnati, OH (09/10/1985); Big Shot Photo Lab, Berkeley, CA (09/15/1985-09/28/1985); Drive-In-Studio, Winston-Salem, NC (09/15/1985-09/28/1985); Lowa State University, Ames, IA (09/15/1985-09/28/1985); Metro Detroit Danceteria, Canton, MI (09/15/1985-09/28/1985); The Coffee House, Davis, CA (09/15/1985-09/28/1985); The Metro Lounge, Cincinnati, OH (09/15/1985-09/28/1985); Big Shot Photo Lab, Berkeley, CA (10/09/1985); Drive-In-Studio, Winston-Salem, NC (10/09/1985); Lowa State University, Ames, IA (10/09/1985); Metro Detroit Danceteria, Canton, MI (10/09/1985); The Coffee House, Davis, CA (10/09/1985); The Metro Lounge, Cincinnati, OH (10/09/1985); Big Shot Photo Lab, Berkeley, CA (10/09/1986); Drive-In-Studio, Winston-Salem, NC (10/09/1986); Lowa State University, Ames, IA (10/09/1986); Metro Detroit Danceteria, Canton, MI (10/09/1986); The Coffee House, Davis, CA (10/09/1986); The Metro Lounge, Cincinnati, OH (10/09/1986).
Photographer: Robert Toren.
Pound for pound, this may well be Game Theory's finest hour. CHRONICLES is bursting at the seams with concise, sharp-eyed pop that shows off both the tough and tender sides of the band. Almost uncharacteristically straightforward, the album eschews the far-out experimental touches that mark some of the band's other releases, allowing Scott Miller's trenchant songcraft to shine through, while Mitch Easter's expert production makes the whole thing sparkle.
CHRONICLES comes charging out of the blocks with the seething "Here It Is Tomorrow," its pounding, staccato beats acting as a bumpy runway for the soaring ascent of the chorus. Miller's thin tenor has never sounded as angelic as it does on "Where You Going Northern," "Like A Girl Jesus," and the hymnlike "Regenisraen," songs as vivid and fragile as stained-glass windows. The band shows some real muscle on such rockers as "Crash Into June," "I've Tried Subtlety" (a classic Miller title), and the utterly divine "Erica's Word." One of several bonus tracks, "Linus And Lucy" (yep, that Peanuts song) actually rocks. And, with such couplets as "Efficacious B-follows-A-cious/Something you can shove in their faces," Miller proves himself one of the wittiest and most surreal lyricists around.