Often shortened to Shmap'n Shmazz, this is Cap'n Jazz's first and only full-length, originally released in 1995 on Man With Gun Records. Tim Kinsella, Mike Kinsella, Victor Villarreal, Sam Zurick, and Davey von Bohlen were just teenagers then, and as they would go on to join/form various emo institutions—American Football, The Promise Ring, Joan of Arc, Owls, Owen and more—the album's influence can not be overstated. The sound leans toward punk w/ Tim Kinsella's screaming vocals unleashing the emotions, and the arrangement are noisy and scrappy but somehow also tight, perhaps the youthful energy acting as a common thread to give the 12-tracker coherence. It's brilliant stuff really, from the angst-ridden "Oh Messy Life" to other standout cuts "Basil's Kite," "Little League," and "Puddle Splashers." The record has been out of print for about 23 years, and this cassette version features the original artwork as well as the 12-song tracklist.

• limited-edition cassette
• music label: Polyvinyl Records 1995 / 2018

reviewed by singing in japanese 01/19