Star Ghost Dog
The Great Indoors
2000
The Great Indoors is easily Star Ghost Dog’s finest work. The record sheds the indie scrappiness of its predecessor to become a polished, twinkling gem. The songs are all top notch and the production is dazzling.
It’s hard to pin down Star Ghost Dog’s sound. At times you may be reminded of Liz Phair, Apples In Stereo, Luscious Jackson or even Stereolab. Overall, however, they’ve managed to create their own sound. Ginny Weaver’s vocals sound detached, but that’s part of what makes them so engaging. Synthesizers manage to add layers that you now realize were missing from their debut, Happylove. The rhythm section of Chris Foley (drums) and Owen Burkett (bass) provide a solid groove on every song.
The opening track, “Underdrive,” is like a sunnier version of Elastica. That’s where the good vibes end, however. A cloud of beautiful melancholy hangs over The Great Indoors. “Knock Down” is a broken love song with a simple keyboard line that anchors the verse until the overdriven guitars jump in during the chorus. “Holiday” became one of the band’s best known songs with it’s slow burn. “Megafauna” continues Star Ghost Dog’s infatuation with near-disco, this time with a super-saturated guitar hook.
The album closes with its haunting title track. Ginny sings “Just pretend we don’t know how it ends . Never heard it all before.” Unfortunately for us, we do know how it ends. The Great Indoors would be Star Ghost Dog’s last album. What a beautiful way to go out.
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