Interstellar Discussion

Interstellar Discussion is the ninth album by Jandek, and his only release of 1984. It was released as Corwood 0747. It was reissued on CD in 2001.

1 Overview
2 Track Listing:
3 Album Cover Description
4 External links

[edit] Overview

Seeming to pick up where The Rocks Crumble left off, we're tossed into the crazy garage punk of "Starless", in which the performer screams "I must say what I say/listen - what I say" while the off-kilter drums and strummed, curiously tuned guitar build up a good head of steam. This continues through most of the opening six tracks, with the exception of "Waltz in Two-Fourths Time" (a joke - waltzes are in 3/4 time and this piece is in neither). Sometimes a bass is heard (is it simply being overpowered the rest of the time?), though it's safe to say the person playing it is no professional. The instrumental "Why Did I Change a Word in the Last Song" follows "Hey," whose lyrics are "hey/I'm gonna chase your blues away/a-won't you come along." So what was changed?

Probably nothing - these band tracks represent a side of Jandek often overlooked by those seeking to see this work as mercilessly depressing. They're funny, in a sort of free-wheeling way, and it's safe to say that the performers are having a blast (and, according to the interview with John Trubee, this is a work with the full band, as opposed to overdubbed tracks as on The Rocks Crumble). "I Ain't Got None" is particularly wild, its lyrics saying, "you ask if I got a son/ I have to tell you that I ain't got none," before the vocalist screams the song's title as the band builds into a frenzy.

"The Spirit" turns an about face back to the acoustic music of the first seven albums, saying "Lord I know that you're the one/with me in the morning sun." The effect is staggering, and the remaining eight songs continue in this more somber manner, as if the rest of the musicians have packed up and gone home. But after "the Spirit" the songs lyrically return to the crazed manners of the band songs, with "the Rifle in the Closet" turning out to be "just the name of this song," and "Ha Ha" consisting of "And now you want a fortune, too/ha ha ha ha ha." As with the previous acoustic albums the pace moves around from slowly picked ballads to manic, bluesy shoutouts.

[edit] Track Listing:

Starless – 2:15
Hey – 2:28
Why Did I Change a Word in the Last Song – 2:50
Waltz in Two-Fourths Time – 2:41
Call You the Sun – 2:53
I Ain't Got None – 2:55
The Spirit – 2:22
Rifle in the Closet – 4:20
Sung – 1:27
Ha Ha – 2:16
Customary – 2:38
May 7, 9:15AM – 2:42
Situations – 2:21
Couldn't Be a Reader – 2:12
Kick – 3:34

[edit] Album Cover Description

Objects on the cover were also used on previous album covers. The drum set is from The Rocks Crumble, minus the snare. The writing desk is from Your Turn to Fall. The drum throne is a naugahyde chair.