Going Down...The Tubes

Although they are known to modern listeners as the band behind the new wave gem "She's a Beauty," the Tubes had an entirely different career during their mid- to late-'70s tenure on the A&M label. Working with gifted producers like Al Kooper and Todd Rundgren, the group created a body of work that fused prog rock instrumental virtuosity, the sarcasm of new wave, and Frank Zappa-styled musical satire into a style all its own. Listeners get a great chance to sample the Tubes' ambitious style on Goin' Down, a generous two-CD compilation that includes all of their radio favorites, album tracks from each of their A&M releases (including the Remote Control album in its entirety), and most of the rarities that had previously appeared on T.R.A.S.H. (Tubes Rarities and Smash Hits). The end result is one-stop shopping for any listener who wants to get all the highlights of their 1970s work without having to hunt down the group's often inconsistent albums. Songs like "What Do You Want from Life" and "Don't Touch Me There" sound as eccentrically witty as ever, but the real surprises are the album tracks: "My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains" is a surprisingly subtle ballad full of hypnotic synthesizer textures, and "This Town" skewers big city life over a tune that re-creates the vintage Frank Sinatra/Dean Martin lounge pop sound with surprising faithfulness. The package is rounded out by brief but informative liner notes and a selection of provocative pictures from the group's notorious 1970s stage shows. All in all, Goin' Down may be a little too much Tubes for the casual listener, but it remains the definitive portrait of the group's 1970s era for serious fans. ~ Donald A. Guarisco|