The full title of the fourth Sam Phillips album is Omnipop (It’s Only A Flesh Wound Lambchop) that evokes daffiness, absurdity, and obscure pop culture references. While that may sound like fun, Omnipop is all over the place. I consider it a serious misfire, especially coming off the relative success of Martinis And Bikinis. Returning to the Beatles analogy, Martinis = Revolver and Omnipop = Magical Mystery Tour.

That said, there are two tracks among best Sam ever recorded, Zero Zero Zero and Power World.

Entertainmen

= 2 stars

The best part of this meandering tune is the post-chorus lyric “Watch me, let me be your TV.” All else comes across as a pale U2 imitation. Its subject matter seems to refer to Sam’s small role in the Bruce Willis action flick Die Hard: With A Vengance.

Plastic Is Forever

= 1 star

Squishy electric guitars and some squeaky saxophones. It sort of works, but ultimately… no.

Animals On Wheels

= 3 stars

Good tune with lyrics reminiscent of Cruel Inventions. Dislike the circus production.

Zero Zero Zero!

= 5 stars

Brilliant, near instrumental, with a daffy beat and retro instrumentation, plus some Herb Alpert style trumpets contributing the chorus melody. It’s so strong no words are necessary.

Help Yourself

= 1 star

Muted trumpets, loungy guitar, and xylophone combine to form a demented James Bond theme.

Your Hands

= 1 star

Overlong, atmospheric, meandering dirge whose only strong point is the contrast it provides for the next song.

Power World

= 5 stars

Power pop perfection. The chorus ends on a huge hook – “our ideas of perfect are so imperfect.” What pushes the song over the top is the guitar solo that storms in as if transmitted from a mountain via laser beam (2:31). George Harrison would be proud.

(Skeleton)

= 1 star

A noisy, toss-away instrumental that is the equivalent of the Beatles’ Flying.

Where Are You Taking Me

= 2 stars

All there is to recommend is a relentless repeating of the song title, Beatles’ I Want You style – unfortunately to much less effect.

Compulsive Gambler

= 1 star

I don’t get this one either.

Faster Pussycat To The Library

= 2 stars

Faster Pussycat Kill! Kill! Kill! is a Russ Rymer cult movie about macho biker chicks. This song doesn’t evoke this.

Slapstick Heart

= 3 stars

Decent tune based on a loop contributed by R.E.M.

Intra-Album-Rank-O-Rama: 2.25

Next Album: Fan Dance
Previous Album: Martinis And Bikinis

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Posted In: Sam Phillips

Related Posts:
Music Notes: Sam Phillips, Martinis And Bikinis
Music Notes: Sam Phillips, Cruel Inventions
Music Notes: Sam Phillips, The Indescribable Wow

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