Ed Kuepper

The biggest Aussie fans are the only ones with a copy of Exotic Mail Order Moods, Kuepper's second LP in two years, which was recorded for mail-order sales only. Like the previous year's I Was a Mailorder Bridegroom, it's a surprisingly important release as opposed to a silly fetish, even though this time the guitar hero is in a covers mood. Kuepper's take on David Bowie's The Man Who Sold the World's title track (from 1970) is greatly superior to Nirvana's decent unplugged hit, using the same shimmer found on Frontierland. Covers of the Animals, Nick Cave, and even his old Saints' 1978 Eternally Yours classic "Memories Are Made of This" (a beautiful acoustic version, plus an odd, background hip-hop beat), plus eight other songs written by that ubiquitous, elderly composer, "traditional," form the rest of this LP. Roots music made more for modern tastes is an interesting idea. ~ Jack Rabid, The Big Takeover, All Music Guide