Game Theory: Classic or Dud?

huh...roll d10 to hit...nah mate, I'll do sum shopping then gan doon tha library - by tonight I'll apply it to Britain's foremost indie groups - Manky Bifta and Felonius Chunkz, arreet !

So it all starts with the Talmud...this is gonna be a long Monday

LOLITA NATION was their "classic". First album I already owned on LP that I felt had to be experienced on the then-new CD format (uhh, I'm sure such thoughts weren't uncommmon at the time). Also an album that made first hearing the Pixies a very underwhelming experience. Game Theory seemed a lot smarter, doing a similar thing.

I use speech marks around "classic" as that was 11-odd years ago; haven't heard the album for maybe 10. So dunno if it holds up. Did try their TINKER TO EVERS TO CHANCE comp 3-4 years ago and that sounded unbearably twee. Which is mostly how I remember them - unbearably twee. But, y'know, if you like the Smiths or Pixies and clearly have no problem with tweeness, Game Theory may be worth hearing.

I'd say they got better toward the end (2 STEPS FROM THE MIDDLE AGES is good) after the blonde chick joined on guitar; she had more of a rock sensibility, reduced the overall twee.

"Erica's Word" and "Make Any Vows" are two damn fine `choons. Never cared much for his next band, THE LOUD FAMILY though.

Whereas The Loud Family constitute my sum total understanding of Scott Miller's output. Interbabe Concern is a fine, fine, and again fine album. Also Scott has the most preposterously uncool songtitles - "Screwed Over By Stylish Introverts", "Not Expecting Both Contempo And Classique", "Good! There Are No Lions On The Street" etc.

Now normally this would be a bad thing, but luckily unlike certain other bands coughGuidedbyVoicescough the lyrics live up to their titles and usually the titles end up seeming commonplace in the context of the song.

i bet glenn mcd wishes he hung around for this one!

Classic, classic, classic artsy guitar pop with sensitive-boy literate lyrics and gorgeous whining voals. Loud Family too. Pick up The Big Shot Chronicles, Lolita Nation, or the Tinkers to Evers comp.

Get "Plants and Birds and Rocks and Things" : Loud Family's first (I think) album. Nice power-pop with little of the unsuccesful wierd interludes which spoil some of the later stuff, IMHO.

Best GT album is "Two Steps from the Middle Ages".

Are you lot all making this band up for a laugh?

Shit! We've been rumbled.

Exactly how do I "pick up" a copy of Lolita Nation, an album whose existence I am beginning to doubt?

John, go to www.Netsounds.com. Search on Game Theory and you'll find 3 or 4 used copies available from various sources.

Yeah, Netsounds is good. You might want to also try www.musicstack.com, I've seen some copies there as well. AVOID paying ridiculously high ebay prices for this CD!

Or, you can pay about $40 for a copy from eBay. (If I only knew...) Be on the lookout for people selling CD-Rs of the album for $20+.

Me, I'm totally down with Scott Miller, yo yo. Thanks to folks like the aforementioned glenn mcdonald, albums like _Lolita Nation_ & _Interbabe Concern_ are tops in my head & heart. (Whoever that ASS was in the _Spin Alternative Record Guide_ that damned them as an REM knock-off should be forced to eat kilts morning, noon, and night until he craps a bagpipe.)

If you're looking for a cheap alternative to scamming a copy of a Game Theory album, you can always check out Alias Records - they're selling the majority of the Loud Family's discography for ultra- cheap. (There're probably web retailers doing a similar thing.) If you like _Plants & Birds..._ or _Interbabe Concern_, you can't go wrong with _Tinkers to Evers..._ or _Lolita Nation_. (However, I think that the Loud Family, at its best, is SUPERIOR to Game Theory at its best.) (I might be in the minority in these thoughts, though.)

Scott Miller: my favorite songwriter OF ALL TIME. Theory, Louds...all perfect (his songs ONLY, all others are pale imitations).

MY "Lolita Nation" is...signed! Just like the rest. (retreats, gloating).

I heard "Erica's Word" during an intermission at a hardcore/ska type show and decided to track down some Game Theory. My overall impression of "Lolita Nation" was that it was kind of blah. Over the years, it has come to sound more and more blah. I sold my vinyl copy a while back (apparently I should have held onto it and sold it now) and only have a taped copy, which I never listen to any more. Even "Erica's Word" doesn't sound all that great to me anymore. Of course, considering what I do and don't listen to, this is no surprise, but even when I bought the album, it was a big disappointment.

It seems to me there was a fair amount of critical buzz around them at the time.