Review Revue: R. Stevie Moore - Teenage Spectacular

Where does one begin with R. Stevie Moore? That's what I've been asking myself, and likely what most people ask themselves when faced with the enormity of his recorded output. Well, you've got to start somewhere, and since I happened to pull this record off the shelves, and it seems to have been a hit at KCMU when it came out, Teenage Spectacular seems like as good a place as any to start. (Moore has a jaw-droppingly thorough Bandcamp page, so for once you can actually listen along as you read this blog post.)

R. Stevie Moore has been making and recording his own music for coming up on fifty years now. 1987's Teenage Spectacular was his eighth "official" album - pressed on a record rather than on homemade cassettes - but in reality he had created dozens of releases by this time, and has created dozens more since then. His level of output is maybe not quite where it was in the '70s and '80s, but it still puts even Robert Pollard to shame, averaging three releases a year over the past decade (not that this is a competition). And the incredible thing is you could go to his bandcamp page and buy them all right now! You'd probably put quite a dent in his bills while you were at it.

"What would happen if R. Stevie Moore got ahold of some decent equipment for once, learned some patience + took some time to flesh out his lyrics??????? Well, it would sound like this record. He is so underrated + unsung yet so talented + weird. Check out his catalogue (he has more releases than most labels) in the the 'Bio-info' file by the master office. Also, New Rose put out a double  LP for this guy in 1984. Check that out TOO. But anyway, this record's very good, almost great. M please."

"Jerzy - speak up. 'Everyone, But Everyone' has gotta [illegible] you at least."

"First of all: Top right corner. -Jerzy" [On the top right corner, someone has crossed out the "Moore" in R. Stevie's name and written "God." Probably Jerzy.]

"I like this. That's all. H?"

"Agreed. This is an H-type album."

"On 'All Well and Good' he sounds like Kevin Ayers. I thought it was Kevin."

"Good to have this in our new Heavy. The connection between Teenagers TV - KCMU - & the Nonsequitur needs to be stressed."

"Secondly: R. Stevie has so much material, it is truly apparent that he has had some help (look to the heavens). R. Stevie God: It sounds so much friendlier than Jesus, Allah, Swans, Krishna . . ."

"This is Totally kind of fabulous. And he pays 'All Due Credit' to Andy Partridge. H Till Marsh 12th."

"I think Andy pays homage to R. Stevie."

"Pardon - I read the liner notes. And you can be a real ass sometimes."

"So can you... we're a pair of asses."

"R. Stevie Mogod has many fine songs on this. So can we play more than 'Blues for Cathy Taylor' and 'Cover of Rolling Stone'? Please experiment w/this, thanks."