Replica, Vol. 1

Since the hyper-prolific R. Stevie Moore has recorded thousands of homespun four-track songs since 1968, sifting through the fathoms of his deep catalog can be somewhat intimidating. Lucky for everyone then that Moore’s lifelong manager, publisher, friend and sometimes musical accompanist Irwin Chusid has compiled three volumes of Moore’s best tunes starting with this, Replica, Vol. 1. With the opening “All Well and Good (home version)” you get a real understanding of how Moore grew up surrounded by country music (his father was Nashville session gun Bob Moore) – the catchy tune is anchored to a pastoral and brokenhearted narrative and Moore elongates his drawl a bit. The instrumental “Stimulus Playin’” sounds like good old-fashioned '90s indie rock replete with a distorted electric guitar playing infectious riffs against root-note bass lines pumping along with a drum-machine and handclaps. The rambling “Having a Real Fit” gives insight to intricacies Moore’s songwriting mania; he simultaneously composes as he records. Conversely, his lo-fi, honky-tonk, indie-pop cover of Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” is somehow as awesome as it is simple.