Robbie Fulks

Fulks always strikes me as that kid who thinks he's very smart-ass but secretly wants to date the prom queen, and tries to impress her by being so obnoxious. He's quick to a bitter word but also so quick to pander to cloying sentimentality--especially in his meta-genre jumping, I-can-do-every-style show-off mode. In that way, he reminds me of The Incredible Moses Leroy in that his songs sometimes come off as radio-fodder or country-tyme commercials that are levels off in terms of catchiness. It's not hard to jump styles--lots of ad- writers do it everyday, but it's hard to jump styles and make great songs at the same time. Having said that, when he is on, one can't help but wish him the best.

I liked him at first--especially the first album, but now it would be nice for a little subtlety, I think. That and the awful production makes me wish that someone had taken him and Fred Eaglesmith outside and given them a good spankin'.

The new one (Georgia Hard) is a bit different in so far as it
sounds as if most of it could be played on contemporary
country radio and not stick out too much.

Upon repeated listening the opening gambit on his recent live album Revenge! just gets funnier and funnier.

"god isn't real" does the same thing as those hitchens/dawkins books, but gets in and out in 3 minutes and is catchy too.

Almost as funny as his My Worst Gig Ever articles over here http://www.robbiefulks.com/articles/
(xpost)

His explanation of why he performs Cher's "Believe" found here does the job of any Bad-and-Hated-Dave-Matthews-Band-length anti-rockism thread in one paragraph.

haven't heard any of his records, but his new year's eve show a couple years back was great.

The two times I've seen him he's put on a great, quality show. Did he do a Rap Of The Dead at that show, Jordan?

Yup. Also a medley of that year's chart hits involving wearing a different t-shirt for every song, and a written-for-the-show showtune summing up the year's news & politics. Dude is wacky.

From rolling country:

Robbie Fulks tries to rap, about people who died in 2007; not as funky or funny as Jim Carrol or Adam Sandler -- what does Xgau see in this guy again?

http://cdbaby.com/cd/fulksrobbie

-- xhuxk, Monday, January 14, 2008 12:00 AM (2 months ago)

I think he scaled back on some of that for last year's New Year's Eve Eve show. Though he did put out Rap Of The Dead 2007 as an mp3 on his website. Pretty funny, although I don't thing the Mighty Rolling Country thread likes it too much.
(xpost)

yeah, some of his schtick came off as sub-Weird Al, but in the context of 3 sets of (mostly) actual tunes it was fun. probably not the sort of thing that should go on the record, though.

xp

Rap Of The Dead 2007 is worth the 0.99 if only for the Match Game stuff.

xp He says some funny and smart things on those links above, though, I admit. Maybe I'll give him another chance someday, and see if he doesn't bore me again next time.

I like this (the writeup; haven't heard the song):

FIXIN’ TO FALL
Shania Twain was riding high back when I was working on writing the Big Thinkin’ record with my longtime friend Dallas Wayne. To me the Mutt Lange sound – not only with Shania but on his productions of Def Leppard, AC/DC, Graham Parker, and others – carried an irresistible appeal, and still does. One of the hallmarks of his pioneering country records is how, with technical subtlety and a forthright spirit of self-amusement, he grafts gentle hip-hop-ish beats and other urban sounds onto what might otherwise be a garden-variety Music Row shuffle – and how a song like “Honey I’m Home” alternates and melds the two feels. I couldn’t help taking a stab at the neo-genre myself, as I did on the title song of Dallas’s record, and both of us did again when we cooked this one up. The sudden stops at the chorus tops are Buck-via-Shania, and the channel section is all-of-modern-country-via-Shania. Many thanks to the incomparable Casey Driessen for the Berklee-grad-on-a-bender solo!

Jordan, he's well aware of this kind of problem, which is why "Fountains Of Wayne Hotline" does not appear on any album and he stopped playing it live pretty quickly.

"let's kill saturday night" would've been a good shania single. (that album was his failed crossover -- pop, rock, one song sounds like andy partridge, along with the country-twang. it's not nearly as bad a record as its reputation says. i interviewed him before it came out and he seemed kind of hopeful that he might be able to get out of the alt-country ghetto; sounded like he was aiming for marshall crenshaw status or something. but it flopped, so he kind of fell back on the twang.)

Words of wisdom.

Indeed.

Regret not going to see him at Barbès when he was in NYC while his wife was acting in "Our Town." I thought they had moved here for good and I was gonna get another chance!

It's too bad he seems to have removed "My Worst Gig Ever Pts 1-3" from his retooled website.

Put on a great show at the Mercury Lounge recently, despite not playing "Billie Jean" despite "I think a tribute is in order" request from guy in audience with big beard who was not Mike Daddino. Will try to catch him do his thing with Jenny Sheinman in one of next three Tuesdays at Barbes before he moves back to Chicago.

him and jenny scheinman seem like an odd match. love to see that, but of course i'm working.

mentioned this song upthread, still think it should be a hit for someone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfl-LkdZzWk&feature=related

There's the one song where she (or Robbie G) plays an outside solo and then Robbie F plays the melody of "Popcorn."

Looks like he's finally gonna put the Michael Jackson album out in some form or another.

I still have lots of time for "Let's Kill Saturday Night" (the song). He tones down the smarm, grabs a great melody. And the "a prince with a working wife" line kills me for what it doesn't say.

When I've seen him, he usually closes with "Let's Kill Saturday Night."

He recently released the equivalent of a box set of songs via his website, something like 50? Any opinions? I was disappointed by "Georgia Hard" and not sure whether or not to take the plunge.

Haven't heard most of it, but there's a nice cover of a Beyonce song on there.

*revive* to keep discussion off Marshall Crenshaw thread.

New album is out and he's back on Bloodshot.

Just listened today. Quite liked it though will need a few more listens to figure out how just how much. (since it was accompaniment to painting the basement it may or not have been the best listening environment, though it sounded pretty good.)

My problem with Fulks (my problem, not his) is that I started with Couples in Trouble, an album which is 1.) incredible, and 2.) unlike any of his other albums.

There's very little out-and-out country; instead you get faux-trad. folk (In Bristol Town One Bright Day), southern rock (Dancing on the Ashes), piano-and-strings torch song (My Tormentor), Marshall Crenshaw-riffic pop (Mad at a Girl), even a couple minutes of hiss and buzz that would fit right into Sonic Youth's "Providence." It completely skewed my expectations.

There's almost nothing from this album on You Tube. Here's an acoustic "Mad at a Girl":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1rgjv2RJLo

I am a huge fan of Robbie's. Started with South Mouth, then back to Country Love Songs, the on to Let's Kill Saturday Night, which I think is a terrific record. The title track is an all-time personal fave of mine. Georgia Hard is great, too.

I wasn't going to post just to say "I love Robbie," but then Hideous Lump lauded Couples in Trouble, which is funny, because it's my least favorite of his.

Besides being a terrific songwriter, I think Robbie is one of the smartest dudes making music, and a stunning writer of prose when he wants to be.

Need to spend more time with the new one.

I love everything up until "George Hard", which really fell flat for me. Indeed, "Couples In Trouble" was an outstanding album for exactly the genre-hopping reasons Lumpy laid out. "Georgia Hard" simply couldn't compare. I should give it another listen after all these years and see if, removed from my expectations, it stands up.

My question about his self-released 50+ songs remains - yea or nay?

Haven't heard the whole thing but sampler sounded good last night.

He's in town for a split second, playing at Barbès tonight in a duo with his pal Jenny Scheinman.

His new record, Upland Stories is phenomenal. And if I hear a better song in 2016 than Fare Thee Well Carolina Gals, it will be a great year for music.

I take back my positive experience of 8 years ago, played on the same bill a couple summers back and dude pulled some very unprofessional shit (taking someone's expensive instrument without permission to 'play' and joke around on during his set).

one of thee greatest working songwriters, imo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKhZDOTMVK0

HI DERE

what does this mean
did he do something bad
did he die
or
are you just listening to him

My new screen name reminded me of one of his songs.

And his friend Jenny Scheinman (see recent video post) just posted that they are on tour, I think

Yes, starting in Tucson.

And moving on to:
http://www.robbiefulks.com/tour-1

Also wish I could find that ancient blog post he wrote which featured karaoke.

I really, really, really enjoyed xpost Upland Stories, which was much more well-considered than anything I've heard or read about his behavior. The follow-up was with Linda Gail Lewis, thus doubly disappointing, because she also made at least one awesome album (with her brother), and I've heard intriguing tracks since, though not another whole album.
Last thing I read about him was in that Chicago article about the collapse of Bloodshot (linked on the Lydia Loveless thread). He wasn't ranting about it, but was one of the several artists mentioned who were--casting about.Sure hope the new owners will do right by all of them. Retrieving the financial records, such as they are, seemed pretty challenging.

his behavior? huh? Robbie has never been anything but a rock-solid professional who writes great songs and performs them well. never been in any trouble or acted like an asshole (in public) that i'm aware of. just been doing his job for 30+ years.

Maybe not that big a deal, but apparently he has his moments, for inst:

I take back my positive experience of 8 years ago, played on the same bill a couple summers back and dude pulled some very unprofessional shit (taking someone's expensive instrument without permission to 'play' and joke around on during his set).

― sam jax sax jam (Jordan), Monday, May 16, 2016

I still have hard feelings about it

I'm sure he would apologize now if asked about it, but it basically ruined him for me (not that I was a huge fan or anything)

not trying to be a shit, but i'll stick w/ my observations of Robbie having seeing him play 5 times and interviewed him 2 or 3 (can't remember).

bummer Jordan had a bad experience with him, tho.

He once chastised/berated me for “not smiling” at one of his show, telling me “I must not be having a good time.” Maybe he was just fishing for audience approval, still don’t know how I feel about that. Jenny Scheinman was smiling enough for the both of us.

My perception of him from interviewing him (years ago) and seeing him play a few times is that he’s a perennial smart-ass who can probably be a dick, but in his own mind is “only kidding.”

Good songwriter regardless.

Yes, this is exactly right.

A few posts down in his current FB feed he seems to have made a weird joke about Stiv Bators.

definitely a smart-ass. fair enough ... my fanboy-ism is clouding my judgment!

“That’s Where I’m From” is a hell of a song.

Yeah it clearly wasn't mean-spirited, and he couldn't have known the stature of that musician or the very difficult time they were going through (closely intertwined with their relationship to that instrument). But that's why you don't pick up instruments you don't own or play for a dumb bit during your set, just a good general policy.

otm