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Viva Wisconsin
01/01/1999 3:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
Tim Sheridan
Manic energy carried the Violent Femmes to modest heights as college-radio regulars in the '80s. Gordon Gano's whiny delivery of disaffected anthems like "Blister In The Sun" and "Kiss Off" seemed to hit a nerve (and get on a few others). And indeed that was the beauty of the group. But after a few solid albums filled with wit, cockeyed spirituality, and visceral sexuality, their output became spotty in quality, regularity, and popularity.
As evinced by this live set recorded in their home state of Wisconsin in 1998, manic energy is still their greatest strength. The song list draws heavily from their first three albums, with a track here and there from latter-day efforts. It's not surprising, since the earlier songs are still their strongest, like the soulful "Good Feeling," the insane "Old Mother Reagan," and the truly twisted "Black Girls." But the band sounds like it is becoming a parody of itself on tracks like "Dahmer Is Dead" and "Don't Talk About My Music," relying on grunting bluster and sick jokes rather than substance. The brief episodes of cacophony that once seemed so inspired often sound a bit too messy here, as on an uninspired "Confessions." But despite these weak moments, the disc is still a fun document of a great live band. And there's nothing wrong with that.
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