You have to hand it to Sub Pop — they really went all out to make the reissues of the first two Sunny Day Real Estate albums, Diary and LP2, an essential part of the fan’s collection. Packaged in beautiful cardboard folders with CD sleeves and brand-new liner notes, the packaging alone is enough to convince the ambivalent buyer to plunk down their cash for a CD (or two) that they probably already own.
The liner notes of the new records are thoughtful and relevant, including interviews with the entire band, who lend insight to the writing and recording processes and a retrospective take on the events that led to the build-up — and subsequent dismantling — of the young and influential group. In regards to LP2 and its sparse original presentation, it is a surprise to see any liner notes at all, and once again, the album is devoid of a lyric sheet. The new liner notes of Diary not only present some essential history of the band, but include the original lyrics, artwork by Christopher Thompson, and notes (though we still are offered no clue as to what “Jump the Elvis candy bar” means).
As for the music itself, these are the Sunny Day Real Estate albums to own. Every true fan likely owns their whole collection — and at least a few bootlegs — but these two releases are essential.
Diary laid the groundwork for an entire generation of far less talented emo-core bands who co-opted the basic sound of the album and replaced genuine lyrical talent with sad-sack whining. Sure, Enigk and Hoerner’s writing delves into dark (and sometimes sappy adolescent) realms, but whether through a rousing chorus, the inflection of the instruments, or the inclusion of an optimistic lyric, the overall tone of Diary captures shifting, real-life emotion — the album is almost bipolar, yet emotional endurance in the face of the hurt caused by other people is ever-present throughout. Not one, but two of the 11 original tracks contain the prominent phrase, “Although you hit me hard, I come back.” If you’re looking to weep, go pick up a Mineral album. The only thing that brings tears to my eyes is that Sunny Day Real Estate are so often lumped in with the legion of hacks that swam in their wake.
LP2 is my all-time favorite Sunny Day album. It was originally released in 1995 after the band’s first split and never received the hype of its predecessor. It is, however, an album full of stops and starts, song lengths that drastically vary, and shifting speeds. The tracks are catchy, yet not radio-friendly. If Diary was the bridge that the listener crossed to reach bands such as Braid and the Promise Ring, then LP2 was the album that pointed kids in the direction of Jawbox.
If you already own these albums, and you don’t care about the new liner notes, you might be wondering what point exists to justify spending your cold hard cash on these spiffed-up tricked-out slabs. Well, for one, both albums have been remastered and remixed by original producer/engineer Brad Wood. The sound is clearer, crisper, and more textured — an audiophile’s dream. And, additionally, each album contains two bonus tracks tacked on to the end.
LP2’s bonus tracks, “Spade and Parade” (originally released as the B-side to the Friday seven-inch) and “Bucket of Chicken” (originally recorded but never used for The Crow soundtrack) are both unspectacular appendages to an otherwise stellar album. Not bad tracks, but they feel out of place in context to the rest of the disc. They are for completists only.
Diary’s two bonus tracks, however, are spectacular. Originally released together on the Thief, Steal Me a Peach seven-inch, they, too, seem misplaced against the backdrop of the originally sequenced album that precedes. Yet they are perhaps two of the greatest Sunny Day tracks of all time. The first, “8,” made an appearance in re-recorded form on LP2, yet to hear this original cut is alone worth the price of admission. An unmastered MP3 version has been floating around online for more than a decade, yet it was jarring to hear at first — I have been accustomed to hearing the unmastered version, and it always struck me as the most punk rock Sunny Day song ever. The guitars screeched and drowned out the rest of the band, paining the eardrums, and Jeremy’s voice never sounded rawer, as if he were on the tail end of a cross-country tour trying to scream over the din of the feedback. Suddenly, now, thanks to Brad Wood, we can hear the rest of the band, including the standout drumming of William Goldsmith which, on this version of “8,” is oddly reminiscent of Chuck Biscuit’s style. I like it, yes, and I’m glad to hear it re-mastered — though I won’t lie, I am glad I have the old unmastered version on my hard drive.
The second bonus track is “9.” Simply put, it’s an epic track, six minutes in length, and ranks among the best Sunny Day Real Estate songs ever recorded. How this never made it onto the original release of Diary I’ll never understand. The engineering adds depth to the vocals (specifically in the choruses) sorely missing from the unmastered version available from fan-sites on the web.
So delve into these albums. If you’re just finding out about Sunny Day, don’t hesitate to pick these up. And if you’re a longtime fan, like I am, rediscover these classics while sitting back and patiently waiting for the new record.