DUF DAVIS + THE BOOK CLUB ENDLESS MINDLESS VIOLENCE 1994 (Galactic Recording Company, 51 Grover Ave., Princeton, NJ 08540)
THE ABSOLUTE SOUND Issue 106 May/ June 1996
DUF DAVIS+THE BOOK CLUB Endless Mindless Violence Tim
Korzun (producer) Greg Frey & Glenn Taylor (engineers) Galactic 3.141592
At first I was fooled by the title of this independently produced CD,
thinking it would be the typically unlistenable bilge one expects to find on such
left-of-center projects. On the contrary - Duf Davis and the Book Club's debut
recording is highly original and imaginative, but most of all, it is refreshingly
entertaining with remarkable repeatability. A thinking person's alternative to inane
pop/rock/folk/alternative, this CD will haunt you with its "acoustic with an
edge" aura. The recording has an intimate warmth and yet a clarity that will please
even the most discerning audiophile. The musicians are accomplished and soulful with
"Duf Davis" proving to be a vocal chameleon able to switch from a somber growl
to Buddy Holly sweetness within a beat, as on the quiet rocker "Hold Me Close (don't
ever leave me)." Other standouts include "Rage" (a hilarious grunge
song), "Riding 'Cross the Galaxy" (space alien pop), "Mary Mary" (a
thoughtful love ballad), "Saturday Night" (an infectious toe-tappin' rocker),
and "Father to Son a Calling" (a heartfelt Johnny Cash homage). The
self-referential "When I Was a Human" and "Me Me Me" are particularly
witty and prime examples of the band's affable humor- somewhat akin to The Traveling
Wilburys. The recording is replete with novel soundbites, including a few choice
comments from none other than Orson Wells! The clincher is the inclusion of an
intermission "between sides" that takes
eloquent potshots at CDs while lamenting the loss of vinyl as the pre-eminent format. The
packaging (a sort of laid-back Sgt. Pepper's for the 90s) works in tandem with the
recording and features a 26-page booklet containing exquisitely caligrified lyrics and a
Granville motif, in short, it has to be seen to be believed. - Bruce Lawton
TIME AND A WORD Winter 1995/'96 DUF DAVIS+THE BOOK CLUB: Endless Mindless Violence (Galactic) Certainly one of the most bizarre and captivating musical amalgamations of recent times can be found on this recent disc by New Jersey-based singer-songwriter Duf Davis. Davis wields a mind blowing assortment of sounds and influences-one minute you're listening to quintessential '60s flavored melodic folk-rock, then it's tongue in cheek rock comedy ala The Rutles or early Zappa, and yet the next it's Johnny Cash meets Rod Serling in the Twilight Zone! Often as hilarious as it is musically divine, the sound quality is commendable and the keen packaging and lyric booklet makes this set worth revisiting. A wide range of supporting musicians impeccably flesh out the music with special mention going to multi-instrumentalists Chris Breetveld and Tim Korzun. The promising Davis will hopefully further invent himself as a satirical guitar-toting social critic as well as an out-of-sight tunesmith to be reckoned with. Additional info: Galactic Recording Company 51 Grover Ave., Princeton, NJ 08540 phone/fax: 609-921-3168
DUF DAVIS + THE BOOK CLUB I HATE PEOPLE...NO EXCEPTIONS 1997 (Galactic Recording Company, 51 Grover Ave., Princeton, NJ 08540)
-- Soundview Magazine
DUF DAVIS + THE BOOK CLUB SHUT UP AND DETUNE YOUR GUITAR 1999
1. Joan Crawford 2. Another Day of Living
3. Subotnick 4. Breetworld
5. I'm Not Obsessed 6. Timing Problem
7. Banjo Tune 8. My Balls
Hurt So I'm Going To Off Myself 9. California California
10. Slowly I Turned On The Way To Glory 11. The
Sophist 12. Meryl Streep 13. Off
Color Remark
Newark Star Ledger, January 2, 2000
send email to Duf Davis
