Folk Implosion - Take A Look Inside (1994)

With 14 songs whizzing by in 22 jam-packed minutes Take a Look Inside is just a lo-fi blur on the first few listens. But eventually the great songs stand out, and it becomes clear that this short-form approach to songwriting suits Lou Barlow well. So instead of the rip-off one would expect from a 22-minute full-length, Take a Look Inside stands as one the Folk Implosion's best releases. By limiting each song to three minutes, Barlow and bandmate John Davis reign in their stranger "freak-out" tendencies, exposing a cache of pop gems. So it's worth wading through the murk of "Spiderweb-Butterfly" to get to the serene "Had to Find Out," or the drone of "Boyfriend, Girlfriend" to reach the superb trio "Shake a Little Heaven," "Waltzin' With Your Ego," and the funky "Take a Look Inside."