Camper Van Chadbourne is an album by the American musician Eugene Chadbourne and the American band Camper Van Beethoven, released in 1987.[1][2] The musicians supported the album with North American live dates.[3] Virgin Records, which had just signed Camper Van Beethoven, was unhappy with the album title.[4] Camper Van Chadbourne was a success on North American and European college radio stations.[5] It sold around 20,000 copies in its first year of release.[6]
A live album, Revenge of Camper Van Chadbourne, recorded by Chadbourne and Camper Van Beethoven members Jonathan Segel and Victor Krummenacher, was released in 1999, as was the collection Used Record Pile.[7][8]
Production
The album's original songs were written by Chadbourne.[9] "Reason to Believe" is a cover of the Tim Hardin song.[10] "Games People Play" is a version of the Joe South song.[10] "Careful with That Axe, Eugene" was originally written and recorded by Pink Floyd.[11] The album cover art is by Chadbourne's daughter.[12]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [13] |
| Alternative Rock | 5/10[14] |
| Chicago Tribune | [15] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [16] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |  [17] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 6/10[18] |
The Chicago Tribune labeled the album "screechy, crazed rock 'n' roll; mellow but demented guitar-noodling instrumentals; weird folk- and jazz-based material; and strange country ballads that are endearing in their not-quite-right way."[15] The New York Times said that "Camper Van Beethoven backs the verbal witticisms with self-consciously mundane music, while Mr. Chadbourne is a musical anarchist who can match Mr. Van Beethoven joke for joke."[19] The Daily Post called the album a "masterpiece" that encompasses "country and folknik styles as well as rock".[20] The Boston Globe advised: "Envision Arlo Guthrie making punk records and you've got the idea."[21]
Trouser Press opined that Chadbourne "almost comes off as a father-figure on the joint Camper Van Chadbourne, although he easily out-eccentrics the Santa Cruz eclecticians."[11] AllMusic noted, "While Chadbourne still flies off on meandering guitar tangents and noise excursions, the instrumental talents of CVB provide a better anchor so that the individual tracks don't degenerate into chaos."[13] The Spin Alternative Record Guide said that Chadbourne "brought out the best elements of [CVB's] (sometimes scattershot) eclecticism".[18]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Reason to Believe" | |
| 2. | "I Talk to the Wind" | |
| 3. | "Fayettenam" | |
| 4. | "Evil Filthy Preacher" | |
| 5. | "Games People Play" | |
| 6. | "Zappa Medley" | |
| 7. | "Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-Iues Are" | |
| 8. | "Boy with the Coins" | |
| 9. | "Ballad of Easy Rider" | |
| 10. | "Psychadelic Basement" | |
| 11. | "Hum-Allah Hum-Allah" | |
| 12. | "Careful with That Axe, Eugene" | |
| 13. | "Ba-Iue Bolivar (Slight Return)" | |
| 14. | "They Can Make It Rain Bombs" |
References
- ^ "Camper Van Beethoven". The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 108.
- ^ Mackie, John (June 25, 1987). "Chadbourne: wild, wacky jazz star". The Vancouver Sun. p. E1.
- ^ Hilburn, Robert (March 5, 1988). "Live Action in LA". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 1.
- ^ Levesque, Roger (July 18, 1990). "Jazz eclecticism with a sense of humor". Edmonton Journal. p. D8.
- ^ "Music, magic set for benefit at New Garden Friends school". People & Places. News & Record. January 6, 1988. p. 5.
- ^ Dollar, Steve (October 28, 1988). "Um, We've Heard of Playing a Mean Axe, but a Rake?". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. 4D.
- ^ Sullivan, Denise (2001). Rip it Up! Rock & Roll Rulebreakers. Backbeat Books. p. 14.
- ^ "Camper Van Chadbourne Biography by Heather Phares". AllMusic. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
- ^ Bullock, Randy (February 18, 1988). "A trio of new releases on the garage-rock lane". Feature. The Daily Tar Heel. p. 3.
- ^ a b Mackie, John (January 9, 1988). "Eugene Chadbourne Camper Van Chadbourne". The Vancouver Sun. p. C12.
- ^ a b "Eugene Chadbourne". Trouser Press. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
- ^ Hinson, Mark (May 27, 1988). "Will Camper play 'Take the Skinheads Bowling'?". Tallahassee Democrat. p. 4D.
- ^ a b "Camper Van Chadbourne Review by Greg Adams". AllMusic. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
- ^ Thompson, Dave (2000). Alternative Rock. Miller Freeman Books. p. 238.
- ^ a b "'Camper Van Chadbourne', Eugene Chadbourne with Camper Van Beethoven". Friday. Chicago Tribune. January 8, 1988. p. 1.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press.
- ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1996. p. 115.
- ^ a b Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 78–79.
- ^ Watrous, Peter (July 28, 1989). "Sounds Around Town". The New York Times. p. C11.
- ^ Kenwright, Tony (February 4, 1988). "Rock". Daily Post. p. 18.
- ^ Dowding, Michael (May 17, 1988). "Records". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 6.