The Great Albums, vol. 1: Jellyfish - Spilt Milk

One of the reasons I am doing the "Great Ones" series is to possibly expose people to some cool stuff they otherwise may never had found. So while the first in the Great Ones series was a movie (Seven Samurai) that most people have certainly heard of if not actually seen, the second is going to be something far more obscure, yet something I am equally enthusiastic about. And that brings us to one of the finest albums of the 1990's, Spilt Milk by the late, great Jellyfish.

Jellyfish was a band from San Francisco that made just 2 albums, but both are held in very high regard by those who have heard them. The first album was Bellybutton, released in 1990. It made a lot of critic's "Best Of 1990" lists and still holds up very well today. It is filled with strong tunes - the great melodies and witty lyrics that became synonymous with Jellyfish. But enough of that; we're here to talk about Spilt Milk.

Wrapped in pure pop bliss, inspired by the Beatles, Beach Boys and a generous dose of Queen, Spilt milk is a psychedelic trip through everything the flower power 60's strove for. But don't think it doesn't rock out as well; it's capable of rattling the bones with the best of them. Spilt Milk took a couple of years to record and was a very expensive endeavor. It shows in the finished product. The production is first rate, with all kinds of little touches that have you nodding your head, saying, "Yes, yes, this is exactly how this album should sound!" What's amazing is that almost all of those little touches were written into the songs from the get-go: one listen to the demos for Spilt Milk and you realize just how complete the songs were when they headed into the recording studio.

Things get off to a start with the dream-like "Hush," filled with gorgeous a cappella vocals that swirl around in your head. From there, the album really kicks into gear with "Joining A Fanclub,", a raucous, delightful song about fandom and it's perils. "Sabrina, Paste And Plato" follows, about the memories of grade school and first crushes. It's chorus is like the sweetest of candies.

"New Mistake" is one of my favorite cuts on the album. The "mistake" in question is a new relationship and, eventually, a new baby. The singer goes from being unsure...

So father Mason, clutching his crucifix
Baptized the baby in whiskey and licorice
What a lovely way
Drowning sins in tooth decay

...to giddy happiness:

Any old way that I fall
I land in your arms/even tough it's wrong

Cause I love my new mistake

More great tracks follow: "The Glutton Of Sympathy" tells the tale of a lonely girl who will never learn, and "The Ghost At Number One" skews the record industry and sacred cows like artists who posthumously hit the charts. Throughout it all, the vocals soar, the harmonies intertwine perfectly and you find yourself giggling at the cleverness of it all.

I didn't intend this to be a blow-by-blow account of the album, but there are simply no weak songs here, and so many highlights. Trust me, you'll never hear an ode to masturbation as funny or honest as "He's My Best Friend." By the time "Brightest Day" comes along to close the album with it's big, carnival-like atmosphere:

come on and join the big charade
line up shut up clean up and shave
cause right behind you in the back of the fray
is a blade he's a renegade
turning bullshit into marmalade

...you realize that what you have heard is an absolute masterpiece, an album whose parts are absolutely tremendous, but as a whole is the equal to "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." As a Beatles fanatic, I do not make such comparisons lightly. So check out Spilt Milk. It's the best album that John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Freddie Mercury and Brian May never made.

I should also note that the lead singer for Jellyfish (Andy Sturmer) was also the drummer. He played standing up and never missed a lick. It was a remarkable thing to see live, as this video will attest to. And for you gamers out there, Jellyfish also wrote one of the great videogame tributes. You can see it here.

I hope this post leads to just one person checking out Spilt Milk. Such an album should not remain in relative obscurity. If anyone does give it a listen or three, or already knows of the album, I'd love to hear from you.