Echo & The Bunnymen (self-titled)

Echo & The Bunnymen

The first time I discovered Echo & the Bunnymen was through a fellow music lover pal of mine, Troy. He told me that Echo & the Bunnymen “rocks,” and that my florescent socks sucked. At first I wanted to haul off on him because it was common knowledge that chicks dug the florescent look, but then it dawned on me that a better way of getting back at him was to dedicate my life to showing the world why Echo & the Bunnymen does NOT, in fact, “rock.” Then I could laugh and point at my friend and say, “Take THAT!!! And girls LOVE my florescent socks, too!!!!”

So I set off to find some Bunnymen music. I have to laugh at myself when I think about this quest. Why would I go spend my hard earned money on a band I wanted to hate? Chalk it up to stupidity.

The album that I bought was Echo & the Bunnymen‘s 1987 self-titled release. I remember sitting in my room, listening to the album, and realizing that yeah, my friend was right… and Echo & the Bunnymen was a pretty darn good band.

The Game single

Formed in 1978, the group took their unusual name from a friend who wouldn’t stop with the band name suggestions. As explained by guitarist Will Sergeant from the book Liverpool Explodes, “We had this mate who kept suggesting all these names like The Daz Men or Glisserol and the Fan Extractors. Echo & The Bunnymen was one of them. I thought it was just as stupid as the rest.”

GILSSEROL AND THE FAN EXTRACTORS???

I got dibs on that one, if it hasn’t already been used…

Echo & The Bunnymen had big shoes to fill. This album was to follow up their 1984 album, Ocean Rain (considered to be their best). Instead of heading straight into the studio after Rain’s success, the band took a year off and regrouped, after some inner-band turmoil, to work on new material. Armed with new management and producer, Echo & The Bunnymen was a bit of a departure from their previous albums in that it appeared to be an attempt to be more mainstream. The production was slicker, the songs contained more hooks than all their previous records combined, and the reverb was cut back (did anyone ever notice how much reverb was on Ocean Rain?)

Three singles were released off the album, “The Game,” “Lips Like Sugar,” and “Bedbugs and Ballyhoo.” None of them hit the U.S. charts, but the first two climbed into the UK top 50. “Lips Like Sugar” has got to be one of their catchiest songs. The chorus just begs to be sung out loud in full voice.

I attribute “Bedbugs and Ballyhoo’s” failure to hit the charts to the song’s lyrics. Don’t get me wrong, I dig the song, but what the heck is Ian McCulloch SINGING about here?

O-o-o-o-o….. KAY.

If anyone can relate to those lyrics, then you must be orbiting Pluto by now (Pluto’s still a planet in my book).

Although Echo & The Bunnymen was not quite as well received by critics, I think the album has aged well. Sure, synthesizers were used, but after 22 years, the album doesn’t sound like the decade it came from. The performances feel tighter, the vocals are more focused, and the overall feel of the album is more consistent than their previous works.

Lips Like Sugar single

McCulloch’s vocals are definitely noteworthy for this record. He doesn’t stray too much from the melody, which helps bring out the richness of his voice. There just aren’t as many vocal interval leaps as in the past. One of my favorite songs from the album, “All In Your Mind,” also contains one of his strongest vocal performances. His deep baritone/bass sounds full and powerful, and he reminds me of why he’s one of the most unique singers of the 80′s when he drops down to his lower register.

Here’s something cool: During the making of the album, the band recorded a cover of The Doors‘ “People Are Strange” for the film, The Lost Boys. Ray Manzarek (keyboardist for The Doors) came in to record his keyboard parts on the song, and ended up laying down keyboards for “Bedbugs and Ballyhoo.” When you hear “Bedbugs,” you can hear that distinct tack-piano that Manzarek used in The Doors‘ songs like “Love Me Two Times” and “Love Her Madly.” Very cool.

Echo & The Bunnymen hit #51 on the Billboard album charts, making it their most successful album here in the States. It’s a shame that the band wasn’t able to hold it together after this record. There were reports of McCulloch’s erratic behavior during this period, and it didn’t take long for everything to fall apart… by 1988, the group had disintegrated.

What’s even worse is that the band hated how the album turned out. In 1995, McCulloch says this about the record: “It still sounds crap.”

Bedbugs and Ballyhoo single

To me, though, the album demonstrates how fluid the band can sound. Critics and fans alike criticized the record as being too simple and restrained, but to me, those are strengths and not weaknesses. The songs are tighter, and the band sounds much more precise in their execution. Yes, it’s a shame the band split after this record, as you never know what the next record would have sounded like if they had continued down this path.

The band did reform in the mid 90′s with a new singer, but that wasn’t quite accepted by fans. After some prodding, McCulloch eventually returned and has remained ever since. He and guitarist Sergeant are the only remaining original members now, and they are slated to release a new Echo & the Bunnymen album this year, titled The Fountain.

Echo & The Bunnymen is still my favorite record from their catalog, but you just never know… they may hit the mark again with The Fountain. I did enjoy their 2005 album, Siberia, so you just never know…

Take a listen to the two songs from Echo & The Bunnymen in the Dig-It section below. If you like what you hear, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the rest of the record.

And I have to say this one more time… GILSSEROL AND THE FAN EXTRACTORS???

PURE AWESOMICITY.

Echo & The Bunnymen on Amazon
Echo & The Bunnymen on iTunes

Your Dig-It Downloads: (right click on link to download)

Download: All In Your Mind

Download: Bombers Bay

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