Various Artists Better Than The Beatles: A Tribute To The Shaggs

By Skizz Cyzyk

For those of you who don't know about The Shaggs, they were three sisters who recorded an album in 1969 called Philosophy Of The World, which fell into obscurity. A member of NRBQ found it and brought it to a lot of peoples' attention in 1980, where it become an underground cult hit because of its "so-bad-it's-good" qualities. Most listeners can't get past the performances on the album, which sound like the three sisters were in different rooms and unable to hear each other while recording. The novelty of The Shaggs overshadowed the fact that they wrote some touching, charming, and sincere little pop songs. Even a lot of Shaggs fans don't know that a second Shaggs album was eventually released, The Shaggs' Own Thing (available on Rounder Records), which proved they could not only play their instruments, but could play together, creating what sounds like conventional music... or at least something similar to modern D.I.Y. indie-pop.

When I first heard about this Shaggs tribute CD, I was a bit apprehensive, as I usually am when it comes to tribute albums. I always hope that the tribute album will be as enjoyable as the band it pays tribute to. But they rarely are. My biggest complaint with tribute albums is that most bands on them, many of whom are unknown to begin with (and often for good reason), usually only bother to learn their covers so they can be included on the tribute album.

My apprehension came more in knowing that The Shaggs lowered a musical bar in regard to what passes for talent in the minds of the hip masses, and I feared that Better Than The Beatles would be a collection of hipster bands taking advantage of the minimal effort needed to cover a Shaggs tune. Just as I feared, there are some bands on this collection who took the easy way out, creating cover versions that parody, more than pay tribute to, The Shaggs (Plastic Mastery's "Shaggs' Own Thing," Joost Visser's Jad Fair-ish "It's Halloween," Deerhof's electro-noise/Flying Lizards-ish "My Pal Foot Foot," Danielson Famile and Thinking Fellers Union Local 282-two bands I normally appreciate-each separately covering "Who Are Parents"). R. Stevie Moore & The Olsiewicz-Chusid Ensemble put so much "effort" into making their version of "My Companion" sound so much like The Shaggs version, but with better production and occasional male vocals, it's practically unnecessary.

Luckily, there are some standout cuts on this disc by bands who celebrate the beauty of The Shaggs' songwriting and rework the songs into new (perhaps even improved) versions. Ida's beautiful, meditative opening cut, "Philosophy Of The World" is a perfect example, as is the following track, Optiganally Yours' version of "You're Something Special To Me." Mongrell turns in a folksy "My Cutie." Bauer's "We Have A Savior" has a distinct Pet Sounds influence, as does The Double U's orchestral "Philosophy Of The World." And as expected, that modern indie-rock sound shows up a few times, most notably in Slot Racer's "Painful Memories/Wheels" and Furtips' "You're Something Special To Me."

So, like most tribute albums, "Better Than The Beatles" isn't perfect, but neither were The Shaggs, and with the standout cuts making up more than half the album, that's not bad. Shaggs fans will have fun with this. Fans of the bands on this tribute might enjoy their fave bands' contributions (especially fans of Optiganally Yours), but without being Shaggs fans to begin with, it's tough to say whether they'll "get it." - Skizz Cyzyk