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CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR r.stevie moore

TRACK CREDITS & DESCRIPTIONS
June 2004 AD

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back to DISC A

disc B (79:22)

01. SCHWANN CATALOG (3:48)
Backing track composed, performed and recorded by Yukio Yung UK as working title "Every Spot On Your Back"; echoplexiglass guitar, lyrics and vocals by Moore Fri 7 May 2004. Superior alternate mix to appear on the forthcoming duo album "The Yung & Moore Show". Hear here.  SC History
Went to the lake, rented a boat
Black inner tube keeping me afloat
Paddles and oars, pushed from the docks
Over the waves, water on the rockefeller.

Over under sideways and down
Going up the staircase around
Righteous opinions and your condescending stance
Couldn't prevent this old sailor from dancing alone
Over under sideways down
Going up that scarecase around
I just been living with an odyssey of pants
Wouldn't expect you to favor my hands.

Man overboard, struggle for air
Lifeguard is here, pulls him by the hair
Back to the shore, he nearly drowned
But he'll be okay, gives him mouth to mouth.

Minnows and worms, fishing supplies
Hook, rod and line - what a big surprise
Tackle and reel, scaling a trout
Nautical girl, give me mouth to mouth resuscitation.

Over under sideways and down
Going up the staircase around
Righteous opinions and your condescending stance
Couldn't prevent this old sailor from dancing away Over under sideways and down
Going up the staircase around
We just been living in an odyssey of pants
Wouldn't expect me to favor my hands.

Schwann Catalogue?
In the hallway, use the Phonolog
Schwanns?
Sewanee swans?
Use the other big book.
Do you think I found the number?
Do you see if the label is listed?
Is it in stereo or mono?
Quadrophonic 8-track is not available.
You can go to the Artist section, and
Cross reference with the album in question.
Here's the answer: Schwanns!

02. I GO INTO YOUR MIND (3:53)
Composed by RSM spring 1978, originally appeared on "Delicate Tension" album. New backing track completely performed and recorded by Terry Burrows Orchestra UK, February 2004. Drums samples by Andy Ward. Lead & mezzo soprano vocals overdubbed by Krys_O. Bkg vocals by Moore. Superior alternate remix shall appear on the forthcoming duo album "The Yung & Moore Show". To be continued. Stunned by the grandeur.
I go into your mind
I open up the door
I come inside your hair
I sit down on the floor
And I just look up around the room
Looks like you're without whom
Your brain wants
Your brain gets

And I travel through your head
I move from ear to ear
I go into your mind
I swim upon your tears
And I'm just floating out of the room
Looks like you're without whom
Your brain wants me.

03. (MY BABY'S GOT A) BANK ACCOUNT (2:49)
Composed and performed by Moore and Chris Breetveld; bass, guitar and vocal overdubs by RSM. Unfinished deposit and withdrawal symptoms. Zero earning power. VIDEO
(Unintelligible foreign language... Stevie, English only here, please!)

04. DOWN (6:12)
Composed and originally released by Francis MacDonald and Michael Shelley (as "Cheeky Monkey") on their album "Four Arms To Hold You" (Big Deal 1998); this exclusive cover version originated as an instrumental basic track for inclusion on a privately pressed MS 40th birthday tribute compilation; recorded at Chris Bolger Basement, Roseland NJ, 19 March; engineering and baritone lead guitar by CB; drums, percussion and bkg vcls by Dennis Diken; Rickenbacker electric 12-string, acoustic guitar and bkg vcls by Jon Graboff; organ, clavinet, toy piano and bkg vcls by Dave Amels; bass, acoustic guitar and bkg vcls by Moore; RSM sang all lead vocals and added the ratiug guitar + 2nd drums/bass/gtr o'erdubs under and sideways wordgame FX later at home, mid of May. Also heard on final tag: the voice of Todd Dillingham reciting "Yellow Submarine" for his poetry students + the 1994 Moore Chorus madrigal "Right Down On You." FREE DOWNLOAD on EYETOONS.
"Down"

The sun is shining
I heard it on my radio
There's people laughing
It's coming through my window
I haven't shaved or showered
I haven't had a bite to eat
Don't wanna look in the mirror
'Cause I'm afraid of what I'll see

I'm falling down (there's nowhere else to go)
You'll find me down (the only place I know)
You've sent me down (I thought that I knew low)
You'll find me at the bottom living down.

Someone called the office
He won't be in again today
And if I had a milkman
I'd leave a sign "Go away"
She left me on a Friday
By Monday I was toast
She took away the sunshine
When she left me all alone

I'm falling down (there's nowhere else to go)
You'll find me down (the only place I know)
You've sent me down (I thought that I knew low)
You'll find me at the bottom living down.

And if I had an hour
For every loving day
I foolishly schlepped away
And if I had here with me
She'd put out her hand
And pull me into her arms
Breakdown

Do a little dance make a little love Get down tonight
Down syndrome

I'm falling down (there's nowhere else to go)
You'll find me down (the only place I know)
You've sent me down (I thought that I knew low)
You'll find me at the bottom living down down.

Way down.
When you're alone and life is making you lonely
You can always go downtown
Down in the boondocks
Sundown you better take care
Do you come from the land down under?
If I find you sneaking round my back stairs
Don't give me no hand me down shoes
Got one already
Down by the river
Slow down
I lost my baby
Baby now you're movin' way too fast
Down on the corner out in the street
Get down get down, get down get down
Dear Creedence
Goin' down down down down down
Tach it up, tach it up
Buddy gonna shut you down
Down south down home
You tell lies thinkin' I can't see
Cheeky monkey, come on down!
You can't cry 'cause you're laughing at me
Down syndrome
Plastic soul
Gotcha
Downbeat
I'm gonna go right down on you
I'm gonna go write it all down
I'm gonna go right down on you
Right on.

05. OUR METAPHOR (4:57)
See A09. Obesity Lawsuit, just outside the realm of definition..

06. BACK TAKE (2:28)
See A05. Alternate instrumental version. Sturm und Drang.

07. GREGORIAN CHANCE #KO40 (1:03)
You're Twenty-Nine Again. David Dreams' personalized greeting card mp3 #1; recorded Swindon, Wiltshire November 2003.
(Dedicated to one little lady)

You're 29 again today
It seems like only yesterday
Your folks were lining up to bounce you on their knee

And though it's just a silly thing
To celebrate what time can bring
Let everybody sing "Happy Birthday" yeah!

(At last it's here, The Big 4-0
Let's give a cheer for Kryssy O
And lend a helping hand
To blow out all those birthday candles!)

So paint the room with smiles and grins
You're at the age when life begins
And everybody sings "Happy Birthday!"

(Happy Fortieth, Krys
Hope you have a wonderful day.)

08. FIFTY KITTRA (4:13)
Backing track composed and performed by Yukio Yung, London England; drums by Ward; vocals, organ, FX and lead guitars added by Moore 26 February; birthday wish dedicated to the artist's stepmother's big celebration of age.
Go ahead, make my day
HB2U
Ehhh, what's up doc?

HBK50 HBK50 HB50KM
Here's looking at you, kid

You've made it! 10
We're so proud of you! 20
You've made it! 30
Half a century! 40

HBK50 HB50K HB50KM
Here's looking at you, kid

HB2U HB2U HB2U HB2U
HBDK HB2U
Blow out those candles, g/f

You've made it! 25
Let's go out to dinner! 35
You've made it! 45RPM
Pop the champagne (•)

HBK50 HB50K HBK50M
I've fallen and I can't get up

You've made it! 10
We're so proud of you! 17
You're up there! 26
How you feel now? 34

HBK50 HB50K HB50KM

HB2U HB2U HB2U HB2U
HBDK HB2U
I'll get you, my pretty
And your little dog too
HB2U

Look at you! 12
You've made it! 31?
Everybody here sez
Happy Birthday, Miss Kittramoore

HB50K HB50K HB50KM
Here's looking at you, kid
Fifty more?

I think you're shaggadelic, baby
You're switched on, you're smashing
I think you're shaggadelic, baby
You're switched on, you're smashing
I think you're shaggadelic, baby
You're switched on

(Garth): HB2U HB2U
Not all of you are singin'
HB HB HB2U
Here's looking at you, kid

Hellooo you good lookin' thing, you

09. THE SACRED AND PROFANE (1:25)
Vocalese exercise by Mr. Moore. CGI-Bin.

10. CRUISING FOR BURGERS (2:16)
Originally composed by Frank Zappa and first released on the Mothers of Invention album "Uncle Meat" (Bizarre 1969). This new voiceless cover version recorded 8 March by Moore exclusively for Alan Jenkins' Cordelia UK tribute album of FZ surf instrumentals "Let Me Take You To The Beach".

11. WONDER WHERE (2:54)
Composed, performed and recorded by Mitch Friedman; doowap street-corner backing vocal group by The RSMKO's. Rare early rough mix. Superior alternate final mix to appear on the forthcoming album "Purple Burt" MP3
"Wonder Where"

I wonder where my underwear is
wonder where?
I wonder where my underwear is
wonder where?
I wonder where my underwear is?
wonder where what's under there is?
Wonder where my underwear is
wonder where?

I wonder how my bouncing cow is
wonder how?
I wonder how my bouncing cow is
wonder how?
When I ask him if his feet ache
All that comes out is a milkshake
Wonder how my bouncing cow is
wonder how?

I wonder who invented blue
I wonder who?
I wonder who invented blue
I wonder who?
Did he spill red on the blue
And then invent some purple too?
I wonder who invented blue
I wonder who?

It's great to ask questions about everything
And it's even more fun to do it while you're singing

I wonder why I cannot fly
I wonder why?
I wonder why I cannot fly
I wonder why?
Feather me and give a small push
You will hear "flap flap flap" then "smush!"
Wonder why I cannot fly
I wonder why?

I wonder if a fish can sniff
I wonder if?
I wonder if a fish can sniff
I wonder if?
Cause if a fish can sniff through water
Could it smell the guy that caught her?
Wonder if a fish can sniff
I wonder if?

(Baby? My Darling. Please let me wonder!)

I wonder when this song will end
I wonder when?

(I don't.)

12. YUNG & MOORE SHOW (Theme 2) (3:00)
See A06. Alternate mix. WFMU Jersey City Xmas Party voices courtesy of Radio Mouths Weekly. NYC Subway SFX courtesy of The Port Authority Tube Sucka MCs.

13. DISCODISCODISCODISCO (2:23)
The single precise reason for pop music's irreversable downfall. Tragic beyond forgiveness.

14. DISCO FREAKS (1:28)
Boombox oratory 2003. Not gonna do it!
You don't make me ice cubes at all

You shoulda never let them
You shoulda never let them people in here
Rock 'n Roll died. And you killed it.
You shoulda never let them people in here
Disco Freaks
You shoulda never let them people in here
Disco Freaks
When disco turned to dance, the world ended
When 70 turned 80, the world ended.
You shoulda never let them people in here
Disco Freaks
You shoulda never let them dancers in here
Disco Freaks
We lost composers!
You shoulda never let them DJ's in here
Disco Freaks
Rock and roll died. And you killed it.
You shoulda never let them people in here
Disco Freaks
You don't make me ice cubes quick enough.

15. I WISH MARVIN GAYE'S FATHER HAD SHOT ME INSTEAD (3:26)
Originally composed by Yukio Yung & Alan Jenkins and released by The Chrysanthemums on their debut LP "Is That A Fish On Your Shoulder or Are You Just Pleased to See Me?" (EggPlant UK 1987). New cover version based atop Mr. Gaye's "Inner City Blues". (Tamla 1971). All instruments and vocals by Moore; backing voice by Krys_O. Recorded 1 April Fool's (the 20th anniversary of the fatal triggerpull). Superior alternate remix to appear on the forthcoming duo album "The Yung & Moore Show". Make me wanna holler.
"I Wish Marvin Gaye's Father Had Shot Me Instead"

I dreamed that I was speaking in the House of Lords
And I was heckled by a porcupine
I was naked and I had no arms
Dancing to "I Heard It Through the Grapevine"

Woke up perspiring and picked up the phone
Someone told me Marvin Gaye was dead
I felt so bad I felt like suicide
I wished Marvin's father had killed me instead

I closed the wardrobe door and that was that
But wild erotic fantasies concerning Postman Pat
Would not leave my head while I was in the shower
As I defaced the picture of him on my talcum powder

As I reached for my clothes the Prince of Darkness then
Appeared to me amongst my underwear
I closed my eyes and found he was still there
With flecks of foam around his lips and barking

An angel burned the day that Marvin died
Like egg encrusted helicopters falling from the sky
God spoke to us and we were mystified
When all around us eggs were hatching little wailing demons

An angel burned the day that Marvin died
Like egg encrusted helicopters falling from the sky
God spoke to us and we were mystified
When all around us it was twenty years ago today.

16. LIVING (4:15)
Composed and performed by Yukio Yung, sometime past. Samples "The Voice". Sorry girls, he's married.
This
Is The Voice
You know that, don't you?
I'm sitting at home, as usual
Inside of my own Voice
Halfway alone
Any minute someone will barge in
Living will be our subject for this evening
And Category "A" will include
The Voice

Don't know what I'm talking about
So no surprises here, then
The Voice that always seemed to shout
Not only wants to soften

Tortoise grinning on its back
Laughing for the next time
Pacing through the rising black
The subject on the mind is
Living
Living

17. I'M TAKING YOUR STUFF (3:37)
Originally composed and sung acapella by Shari Elf on her private album "I'm Forcing Goodness Upon You". This exclusive cover version performed completely by Moore for her intended tribute album. Recorded 6-7 April. Alternate remix to appear on the forthcoming duo album "The Yung & Moore Show".
"I'm Taking Your Stuff"

Like the dogs
Like the dogs in the night
Like some birds in a flight
I'm taking your kite
I'm riding your bike
And I'm calling you Mike
And I'll give you a light
But I'm taking your kite.

Like the cats
Like the cats in the day
Like the dogs, now at play
I am taking your tray
I'm going away
And I'm calling you Ray
And I'm here for today
Later taking your tray.

Like the bee
Like the bee in the tree
Like the Queen of the Sea
I am taking your keys
And we'll later have tea
And I'm calling you Lee
And I'll serve you some peas
While I'm taking your keys.

Like the man
Like the man with a tan
Like some ladies named Ann
I am taking your fan
I'm juggling some cans
And I'm calling you Dan
And I'll give you a pan
But I'm taking your fan.

Like the end
Like the end of a song
And the words all spelled wrong
I am taking your thong
I'm putting it on
And I'm calling you Ron
Soon I'll be gone
Gone with your thong.

18. EVELYN ROAD (3:45)
Composed and performed by The Breetles at Soundcheck Studio, Caldwell NJ, 5 March. Engineered by Steve Szymanski. Moore overdubs scheduled too late for streetdate deadline. All his friends R. Note: superior alternate version possibly to appear on Chris' forthcoming album "Adopt Me."
"Evelyn Road"

Walkin' down the street in Evelyn Road
God, I hope he's home, need the commode
It's always hit or miss
I'm surprised he's not named Chris
All his friends are

Sitting writing songs, doing lunch
Garth Hudson, Van Morrison - a hunch
Just to tap into the stream
The music flows like cream
All the best do

When Stevie's in the house
All the noise will jump about
When he moves all around
Nashville cat, Jersey sound
When Stevie's all in lights
Everything's gonna be all right
When Stevie's in the house
It's gonna be a good day-

Bop bop bop bop, bop bop do-ahh

Seeing how he's fixin' to move on
Maybe he will leave me his bong
Ideas go up in smoke
But it only took one toke
It should do that

Lately we bump into things again
Salmanella Butterfly again
It must have turned him loose
He's more popular than Kootz
All the old ones are

When Stevie hits the road
It's only chauffeur drove
When Stevie hits the street
Walkin' to a different beat
It's Stevie rock'n'roll
Everyone gonna bake a loaf
When Stevie's in the house
It's gonna be OK

Bop bop bop bop, bop bop do-ahh

Walkin' down the street in Evelyn Road
God I hope he's home, need that commode
When he jumps up the fence
Don't seem to make no sense
We should do that

When Stevie's in the house
All the noise will jump about
When he moves all around
Nashville cat, Jersey sound
When Stevie's all in lights
Everyone's gonna be all right
When Stevie's in the house
It's gonna be a good day

Bop bop bop bop, bop bop do-ahh

When Stevie hits the road
It's only cheauffer drove
When Stevie hits the street
Walkin' to a different beat
It's Stevie rock'n'roll
Everyone gonna bake a loaf
When Stevie's in the house
Say "bohm-belais"
Bohm bohm Shiva, bohm bohm Shiva
Bop bop bop bop, bop bop do-ahh

19. PENNSYLVANIA BIO (2:55)
See A16. Gerald Stern poem recited by RSM, 28 April.

"Pennsylvania Bio"

I wore a black knit hat so I could be undistinguished in the war and carried a small bag so I could be mistaken for a doctor, and once in a whorehouse while waiting for a friend of mine to finish I examined the madam on the kitchen table; and I spent Sunday at either the Serbian Club or the post-war Literary Club on Atwood Street above the pre-war clothing store, and ate hot sausage sandwiches and cold buttermilk across the street from the first Carnegie Library and made plans for the next seventy years.

I drove Andy Warhol to the East Liberty train station in my father's 1949 Ford. Believe it or not I bought a 1949 Buick thirteen years later for fifteen dollars and drove it into a junkyard six years after. My first instrument was a kind of kazoo and that led naturally to a French trombone. I was loyal to my own music for fifty years though I detested snare drums and tap dancing, just as I do those singers now who hold their left fists in the air while holding the microphone inside their mouths.

And I hate short sleeved shirts when they wear them with dark neckties, skinny swine knocking on closed doors; and I had a habit of counting bricks, a nice obsession compared with washing hands or touching car doors, it gave me freedom with walls so I could handle bulging and sagging when I had to; and one of the summers I read Steinbeck and made love - in the bedroom - to my aunt's cleaning woman in upstate Pennsylvania and learned to adore the small town with its rows of stores and trees on the sidewalk and only a short walk into the country, in this case up a steep hill, the dogs more sullen the farther up you went, and Russian and Roman churches below, the sunlight on the river, the bridge empty, the outer one half-hidden, I was shocked by the sudden distance and I had a Brown's Beach jacket with a reddish thorn in one of the pockets, which was my toothpick for thirty-five years, and a vest to match, and a flattened acorn I kept in the darkness; and I had a pencil I used to keep my balance, the edges were eaten, the lead was grey, the green eraser was worn down to the metal, and I had a spiral notebook I kept for emotions, and I folded my money.

20. AUTO PARTS (0:08)
Acknowledgement of confirmation fax received from Robert E. Moore. End of transmission.

21. BANG YOU'RE ALIVE (3:13)
Spontaneously composed with Andy Partridge UK over the telephone (unfortunately unrecorded). Unfinished home demo reminder version recorded 23 March. What would Jesus do? Waspstar Steviemoore? Watch this space for further developments.

22. IRWIN CHUSID, HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN? (10:11)
In three parts. Backing tracks performed live at Chris Bolger Basement, Roseland NJ early 2003; drums by IC; bass (2nd & 3rd movements) and engineering by CB; guitars, keyboards, bass (1st movement), percussion and effete dummy vocal overdubs by Moore. To be continued later in a more serious fashion. Power of veto.

23. DEEP BREADTH (0:05)
Inhale exhale inhale. I dunno, another false tart. You know how these CD-R burners won't let 4 seconds of silence go by without marking another goddam index. Hell no, I won't blow.

24. CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR (2:01)
Edna St. Vincent Millay 1931 poem recited by The Old Codger, 20 May; conflicting electronic backing track autoprogrammed by SE & mixed by RSM.
"Conscientious Objector"
Edna St. Vincent Millay (1931)

I shall die, but that is all that I shall do for Death. I hear him leading his horse out of the stall; I hear the clatter on the barn-floor. He is in haste; he has business in Cuba, business in the Balkans, many calls to make this morning. But I will not hold the bridle while he clinches the girth. And he may mount by himself: I will not give him a leg up.

Though he flicks my shoulders with his whip, I will not tell him which way the fox ran. With his hoof on my breast, I will not tell him where the black boy hides in the swamp. I shall die, but that is all that I shall do for Death; I am not on his pay-roll.

I will not tell him the whereabout of my friends nor of my enemies either. Though he promises me much, I will not map him the route to any man's door. Am I a spy in the land of the living, that I should deliver men to Death? Brother, the password and the plans of our city are safe with me; never through me Shall you be overcome.

25. THE WONDERS OF ME (2:03)
Composed and sung by Shari Elf at Evelyn Place Tapes, 20 May; maraca by IC, Omnichord by SE; bicycle bell, bass, percussives, cowbell and electric guitarrage by Our Stevie.
"The Wonders Of Me"

I have an important question for you
I've been waiting
Wondering this for some time
I guess I should ask my question
This important question of mine

Of all of the beautiful wonderful things
You already know about me
What would you say is your most favorite thing
Your most favorite thing about me?

The wonders of me
The wonders of me
Oh how the world loves
The wonders of me

You'll see me out in my back yard
Playing with my little dog Ralph
You'll see me picking flowers for myself
Over at the neighbor's

And when I'm not playing my little Omnichord
Or outside petting the kitties
You'll see me laughing with friends
The wonders of me never end

The wonders of me
The wonders of me
Oh how the world loves
The wonders of me

And now that I've refreshed your memory
Reminding you of my goodness inside
I hope you will search deep in your heart
And my request you oblige

Of all of the beautiful wonderful things
You already know about me
What would you say is your most favorite thing
Your most favorite thing about me?

The wonders of me

AND IT WAS SO.

all moore music and writings copyright spunky monkey music ascap

Download available at Bandcamp

Also available on 2CDR $20

< back to disc A

pitchforkmedia.com 7Oct04

R. STEVIE MOORE
Conscientious Objector
[CDR; 2004]
Rating: 8.0

R. Stevie Moore was born in Nashville, January 1952, the son of former Elvis bassist Bob Moore. Beginning in the mid-1970s, he began releasing albums and cassettes, and since has amassed more than 400 separate full-length albums. That's right: 400. So why haven't you heard this guy? First of all, other than a few scattered indie label releases, most of his material has been self-released via mail order (now via www.rsteviemoore.com). Early records such as 1976's Phonography and 1977's Swing and a Miss defined his aesthetic: a mixture of Anglo-powered pop, Zappa-esque instrumentals, lo-fi experimental sound design, and other music that defies categorization. Amazingly, although the nature of his music varies considerably from song to song, his albums are consistently interesting; if you like one, there's a very good chance you'll like many.

Conscientious Objector was released in June, and is described by Moore as "works in progress." Don't let that fool you: Its songs are no less "finished" than hundreds of others in his canon-- they're merely waiting on a final destination (either in a different mix or another record). The sound is generally unpolished, despite the best efforts of his collaborators, but certainly not to the detriment of the experience. Fans of Daniel Johnson should find much to love about Moore's sound, but beyond that, lovers of eccentric pop-- from the school of Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks, XTC, Animal Collective, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Bob Drake-- have a goldmine in this double album.

The range of music on Conscientious Objector is staggering, from Moore's "cover" of the 1956 exotica tune "Monitor" to the gentle, guitar and vocal showcase "Take Back" to the trippy drum 'n' bass of "Yung & Moore Show (Theme 1)" to the lazy alt-country of "Social Studies Buddies" to the hi-speed, dreamy IDM of "Name Tag the Entertainer Take 12" to the bizarre collaboration with Paw Tracks' Ariel Pink on "What Else Am I Not Supposed to Do?" to the Tom Waits-ish reading of "Hot Cakes and Sausage" to the breezy electro-bossa on "Divorce Court" to a Bell Labs text-to-speech reading of all of his song titles on "A to Z" to the freak-folkish lament "Big Ben (Bridge Collapse Kills 300 Toddlers) by Spandek" to the bizarre, hazy cover of 2 Live Crew's "Me So Horny" to his a cappella "Swans" to the synthesizer explosion of "Judson Fountain of Wayne Wayne". And that's just the first disc!

Moore certainly gets a little help from his friends. In addition to collaborators Ariel Pink, Terry Burrows (aka Yukio Yung), and Don Campau, he also works with XTC's Andy Partridge on "Bang You're Alive" and former XTC guitarist Dave Gregory, who contributes two birthday-themed greetings, "Gregorian RSM52" and "Gregorian KO40" (named for Moore and his longtime partner Krys O). Furthermore, he uses vocals tracks from the Electric Six to construct "Gabe R." and gets assistance from Bell Labs to make minimalist vocal mantra on "Discodiscodiscodisco"-- only to follow it up with his own monologue, "Disco Freaks", wherein he blames the end of the world on dance music and complains that "you don't make me ice cubes quick enough."

Elsewhere, The Breetles' Chris Breetveld co-writes "(My Baby's Got A) Bank Account", a concise slice of Anglophile power-pop, and Burrows contributes to many tracks that Moore maintains will be heard in "superior alternate" mixes on a forthcoming album, The Yung & Moore Show. And then there's old Walt Gollender, who unknowingly contributes to the set's funniest "pieces," the two-parted "Walt Gollender's Breath".

Nevertheless, the spirit of Conscientious Objector is pure Moore. "Schwann Catalog" (named after the famous classical music mail-order catalog) features a backing track by Burrows but lyrics and vocals by Moore. His falsetto is deep-- not the sound of an old man trying to sound younger or softer, but a sensitive, humble one sounding knowingly vulnerable. Burrows reworks his "I Go into Your Mind" (originally from Moore's cult-classic 1978 LP Delicate Tension) into dreamy, trip-pop, featuring Krys O's graceful, weathered vocals. The song, like much of Moore's work, is born from a mind obviously reared on many strands of popular music, yet so attuned to its maker's idiosyncrasies as to seem detached from any song that had ever been. Even when he applies himself to relatively mundane numbers like the Beatlesque "Down" or the dubious doo-wop of "Wonder Where", the end result is less piss-take than insular diversion. And they're never less than interesting.

Of course, over the course of 51 tracks there's bound to be some filler. But then, given Moore's sizable discography, one shouldn't expect anything close to a perfect track record. Ultimately, the breadth of expression and creativity is enough for me to recommend Conscientious Objector on principle alone, and since there are so many truly good songs in the lot, it becomes a simple decision. R. Stevie Moore may well be the most talented, interesting pop musician never to have released a record on a major label, and this album is as much a testament to him as any.

–Dominique Leone, Dallas TX, 10-7-04

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