1992-2001

Fantastic album. Picked this up after reading a review and thought it sounded up my street. Classic indie rock, bit of pavement, little splash of grunge, you get the picture. A nice lo-fi production which always tickles my bum.

An excellent, long overdue, compilation celebrating the Californian trio. What the bio above fails to explain is the band had their career cut short when vocalist/bassist Richie Lee sadly took his own life in July 2001. Up until that time they had recorded a steady stream of excellent low-key lps.Cindy – their 1993 debut, and most aggressive sounding, album, yet often sedately paced with great sonic flourishes courtesy of Mark Lightcap's excellent guitar playing. You might even be able to convince someone that the frenetic 'Chills' was, in fact, cut by an early era Kings Of Leon.I Guess I Would – covers (mini-)album from 1995. Beautifully slow-paced country stylings (and the album that properly introduced me to the mighty Kris Kristofferson amongst others).If You Only Knew – second album, 1996. The strangest of records, in that, aside from 'The Final Say', it seems to slip from the memory, beyond your grasp, constantly out of reach... and yet the minute you put it on it all comes flooding back. The shyest of records, I suppose. The final track has the most momentum aside, as a gentle ascending chord sequence threatens, dragging the band to life in its wake...Acetone – third album, 1997. My first introduction to Acetone, as the UK music press covered the release as they were here supporting Spiritualized on their tour, pitching them as part of the emerging 'alt-country' genre - quite unfair as my own explorations into the music of the likes of Lambchop, Whiskeytown and Mojave 3 simply showed that no one else comes remotely close. On this record everything weaves together wonderfully. I'd call it their most “pure” music, delicate, unhurried songs, wonderfully skilled but restrained guitar playing and an excellent rhythm section chopping along. Tracks like 'Germs' and 'Shobud' are simply majestic, deeply evocative songs that conjure up vistas of bright blue Californian skies and relentless surf. “All you know... has just slipped away... countless hours... wasted each day” interpret that how you will, delivered as it is in hushed, gentle tones over a typically sparse, but warm arrangement.York Blvd – fourth album, 2001. Their most commercial sounding album, slightly more upbeat with tracks like 'Things Are Gonna Be Alright' and 'Wonderful World', the sound here nicely augmented by the addition of some superb Hammond Organ on several tracks (and some truly blistering guitar solos from Mark Lightcap). However it was supposed to work itself out, the final track, 'Stray', with its simple, “I don't wanna see you again... not the way you left me” concluding refrain is truly heartbreaking.This compilation sees a handful of tracks from these 5 (highly recommended) albums interspersed with several unreleased tracks and demos. To think that after all this time Acetone would get their due (and that fans would get “new” tracks) is amazing. At first, to an long-term fan, it took a while to get used to hearing tracks lifted from the context of their respective albums and placed together with others previously unheard, but this slightly disappointing notion soon wore off with repeat listenings.But beware for Acetone are not a band who'll woo you! There's no 00's speed dating, no real hit singles or radio friendly 3 minute pop-punches being pulled at any points here. But don't be put off by this. Be prepared for a long slow-drip journey to eventual enlightenment and adoration – and you might just discover a musical partner for life!Their secret weapon, that sits atop the excellent rhythm section – the bass has a distinctive wandering “elastic and rubbery” sound (sorry, not the best description) at times – is guitarist Mark Lightcap. Aside from their earliest work – I often think the scorching solo on 'I'm Gone' achieves everything John Squire attempted on The Second Coming in the space of about 30 seconds – the guitar playing is quite measured. There's no abundance of FX to mask sloppy technique or needlessly fill out the sound and little, if any, overdubbing. Instead the guitar is assured, delicate and controlled, though that's not to say he cannot let rip for a rousing solo if need be. If Acetone are one of the greatest bands you've never heard then Mark Lightcap is easily one of the greatest, most overlooked guitarists on the planet too.I should note, the compilation was released in conjunction with author Sam Sweet's “nonfiction novel” that, with the assistance of surviving members Steve Hadley and Mark Lightcap, not only deals with the deep personal relationships that forged the band and music, but also delves into the Los Angeles underground scene of the time. It's a hard book to track down and as such for hardcore fans only – try the All Night Menu or Light In The Attic websites, being prepared to spend around £30 for a copy inc. shipping to the UK.How would I describe Acetone, what do they ultimately mean to me? You know when you go to a party or something and somehow, despite your best efforts, you just can't make yourself sound interesting, nor can you feel interested in the conversation. You don't belong, you're not bothered and you begin to feel you wished you'd stayed at home and not made the effort? Then your mind starts to wander and you don't feel like friends, you just wish you were on your own listening to records? Those records I wish I was listening to are Acetone records...