One Part Lullaby - The Folk Implosion (1999)

Lou Barlow was the bassist and occasional songwriter in proto-alt-rock pioneers Dinosaur Jr, leaving just before the band would go major label and become a pretty big deal. He also recorded (and still does) as Sebadoh (or sometimes Sentridoh; I have no idea what the difference was), a “band” loosely composed of Barlow and whoever he featured on his mostly lo-fi recordings.

Barlow collaborated with a songwriter named Jon Davis, calling themselves Folk Implosion (surely a pun on Jon Spencer’s band Blues Explosion) for soundtrack work on the film Kids. I haven’t seen the movie Kids, but it was a big influence on 90s film and also launched the Folk Implosion track Natural One into the stratosphere.

That launched a string of albums for Folk Implosion, of which this is the one I know best.

I’d describe this band as “Sonic Youth without all the mess,” and you can argue if you like. They blend some trip-hoppy rhythms with an underground rock aesthetic and do it quite well.

Tracks I Liked

My Ritual - a groove that makes you feel like the coolest cat in the room. You’re not, but you feel like it…

Mechanical Man - Like a lot of tracks here, it’s a pretty straightforward pop tune that manages to sound like much more. The fuzzy bass is an awesome addition to the mostly clean guitar.

Chained To The Moon - THE Folk Implosion track, as far as I’m concerned. One I could listen to for days.