J Church - Meaty, Beaty, Shitty Sounding

J Church's Meaty, Beaty, Shitty Sounding is a odds-and-ends collection that gathers 7" singles dating back as far as 1993 ("Disappear") and going all the way through 2001. The biggest curiosity here has to be the crop of Electric Light Orchestra covers that opens the collection, including "Telephone Line," "Sweet Talkin' Woman," and (of course) "Don't Bring Me Down." J Church's mightily prolific Lance Hahn has an admitted Electric Light Orchestra jones, and in his hands the polished, orchestrated love rock of yore becomes ragged, jam-kicking indie rock. (The jury's out on whether this is a good thing or not.) In case you're still listening, the piece de resistance is a repugnant, amped-up punk shamble through the Grease musical number "You're the One That I Want," with Cockpit's Kelly Green assuming the Olivia Newton-john role. ~ Erik Hage, All Music Guide