Shooting Rubber Bands at the Stars was probably the first 'indie/folk' album that I ever owned. Taped for me by a girl from school called Fiona, who I had a bit of a crush on, I loved it straight away. There aren't many female singers that I really enjoy listening too, never been too sure why that is, maybe it's the singing along (badly) thing, but Edie Brickell's voice is an easy one to fall in love with.
Back in 1988 I was a bit baffled that music this good wasn't around anywhere on the Radio, although 'What I Am' did eventually become a bit of a one hit wonder for the band, but the whole album is worthy of greater recognition.
It's not all dreamy Bohemia pot fuelled flower power either, there's a darker side to some of the songs and a sadness pervading the album which makes it stand above it's successor (which favours too much happy clappy for my liking).
Listening to it now, as I always do when I write these posts for AT, I'm struck by how it takes me back to that last year of school and how my musical tastes were starting to slowly mature. Shooting Rubber Bands at the Stars was a part of that journey and tracks like Circle would often feature on a mix tape for a girl. I just liked the honesty and fragility of Brickell's voice I think, that sort of hinted at screw up and depression.
She went off and married Paul Simon, cheered up and broke up the band, although they have reformed and toured as recently as 2006, prior to the death of keyboardist and guitarist Carter Albrecht.
It's a great 'little' album that almost got lost after the success of 'What I Am'. Download it from iTunes, or from another source that you may or may not be aware of....
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