REVIEW

DVD Review: Cracker - Get On With It: The Best of Cracker

Written by El Bicho
Published March 14, 2006

In one of their songs, the band sings the line, "This is Cracker soul." Huh? What exactly is Cracker soul? Is it alt-rock or cow-punk? Camper van Beethoven stripped down? Could it be as simple as just a closing number to a live set? Or could it be a Southern Caucasian in search of himself? Maybe it's all of these things twisted together, and perhaps the new DVD will give us another clue, so join us now as we explore Get On With It: The Best Of Cracker.

Let's start with "Who is Cracker?" Shortly after the breakup of Camper van Beethoven, front man David Lowery formed the band Cracker along with guitarist John Hickman. With their combined skills they managed to come up with a sound mixture of country cow-punk and straightforward rock and roll. With Hickman's playing and Lowery's lyrics, you get a sound that reflects the very name of the band. Give this band a spin at their best and you'll understand perfectly.

As for Cracker soul, the DVD helps in the understanding of that question. The disk, which is divided into two parts, opens with four videos and a live performance on MTV's 120 Minutes. The first video is the wild "Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)" revered for the sentiment, "what the world needs now/is another folk singer/like I need a hole in the head." The video opens in an acoustic setting with the band in a circle singing the infamous lyrics. After a direct shot of the sun, the video becomes a bit more polished, yet still maintains its low-budget feel. We see the band playing in a farm field and then running amuck after a plane comes swooping down on them in North By Northwest fashion. Throughout we see scenes of David riding a motorcycle and being followed by a dog, an odd yet interesting first look at Cracker.

The next video is the first of two filmed in black and white. "Low", is one of the band's biggest hits and the one that put them on the map. This video features Sandra Bernhard driving around angrily on her way to a boxing match with Lowery, who sings in a boxing ring throughout the video. Maybe the boxing is a ploy to throw people off of the drug reference in the lyrics, who knows? Whatever the reason, it makes for an entertaining little piece of film. Also interesting to note is the fact that I couldn't help thinking that Lowery looks a whole lot like Huntz Hall of Bowery Boys fame. Especially with the whole boxing thing, I keep expecting Leo Gorcey to run over and slap him a few times and call him, "you mug."

"Get Off This" comes from a live segment taken from MTV's 120 minutes. It's a good song with a steady-driving beat and funky guitar, again there are classic Lowery lyrics, such as "If you want to change the world shut your mouth and start this minute." The video is your standard live clip moving in and out from various cameras on each member of the band.

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This writer is a member of The Masked Movie Snobs, a collective that fights a never-ending battle against bad entertainment.
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DVD Review: Cracker - Get On With It: The Best of Cracker
Published: March 14, 2006
Type: Review
Section: Music
Filed Under: Music: Alternative Rock, Music: Video, Video: Music
Writer: El Bicho
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Comments

#1 — March 16, 2006 @ 21:58PM — Matt Wardlaw [URL]

I love Cracker, and though there was no reason for the greatest hits CD release of the same name, that came out as well, this DVD definitely looks like a must have for Cracker fans.

#2 — August 11, 2006 @ 09:47AM — Yvonne Dulakis

I recently seen cracker at a little bar in Orlando. It was awesome, we also picked up the Johnny Hickman cd I really love that too. I can't believe a band with there talent plays in such small bars, that what makes them even more awesome. Its very intimate, they are so unregognized by alot of people but I prefer it that way. I feel like they are a well kept secret for people who really regcognize talent in music and lyrics. Keep up the awesome work, I love you guys

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