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Album Details

• Artist: Cap'n Jazz
• Album: Analphabetapolothology
• Label: Jade Tree
• Year of Release: 1998
• ME Rating: Indie Classic
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2004-06-05

I don't even know where to begin this Cap'n Jazz review. Have you heard of Promise Ring, American Football, Ghosts and Vodka, Owls or Joan of Arc? Well, those bands both spawned from this Chicago-based band. One might argue the importance of Cap'n Jazz in the whole scheme of things but I would argue that they were just as important in indie music history as Slint or Fugazi. Analphabetapolothology is a double disc band compilation that does a great job in documenting all of the recorded content that this influential group produced in their short-lived career (ceased in 1995). I would argue that this album is every bit as essential as Television's Marquee Moon. The music that Cap'n Jazz plays could be considered post-rock at times but at others you start to see the experimental side of things that Tim Kinsella chose to further in Joan of Arc. Davey vonBohlen's able guitarwork is showcased here in more ways than you will ever hear on his Promise Ring output. The brilliant cover of Aha's "Take On Me" is almost worth the price of admission. The first disc seems to hold together a little nicer than the second. That might be because the first 12 tracks are from the only full-length album they actually released. There are some tracks that are previously unreleased demos as well as some that are live from their final show in Chicago. Check out this album and be in awe.

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