The Folk Implosion

The Folk Implosion are either makers of quirky lo-fi bedroom recordings or a new kind of hip-hop or both. Like all projects involving Lou Barlow, they're sometimes good and sometimes annoying.

see Sebadoh, Lou Barlow's Sentridoh, The 6ths

Information: Folk Implosion
Suggested First Purchase: Dare To Be Surprised

The Folk Implosion EP (1995) -- This seven song collection of previously released even shorter EPs (Folk Implosion and Electric Idiot) are good for their goofy charm. B

Take a Look Inside... EP (1995) -- If "Slap Me" were the only song on this EP, it would be worth it. You must own it. The rest of the album is pretty good, too, with plenty of the bedroomy charm of the previous. B

Kids Soundtrack (1995) -- Not actually a Folk Implosion release, but since they have seven of the twelve tracks (Lou and John's Deluxx Folk Implosion and Sebadoh also appear), it may as well be. This is where they shift to a creepy sort of hip-hop. "Natural One" may have been the hit, but "Nothing Gonna Stop" grooves even more, while the rest of the tracks provide a very listenable and danceable ambiance. (Daniel Johnston and Slint's songs are also well worth having, if not Lo-Down's.) B

Dare To Be Surprised (1997) -- The lo-fi and hip-hop specific to The Folk Implosion meet and swap around on this album, making it their best. B

One Part Lullaby (1999) -- Even with the very pretty title track and interestingly good 1970s-sounding "Back to the Sunrise," this album is a let-down. The reason? It's just sort of boring. It might be good background music for driving around at night, but it's not much to listen to. D

The New Folk Implosion (2003) -- The album is somewhat accurately named, since this isn't even The Folk Implosion at all. The Folk Implosion is and should have always been Lou Barlow and John Davis screwing around together, but this is just Lou and the drummer from Sebadoh and some other dude taking on the name instead of just letting it die. The music here isn't too bad, no matter who it is, but mostly it's kind of dull: a slight improvement over the previous album, and more or less just a more listenable (but less interesting) version of Sebadoh. C