By Brian Tucker

In the 90s there were a handful of tribute albums for bands (Kiss, Led Zeppelin( and although an easy way to sell established music it was interesting to hear other bands cover or reinterpret the material. Notwithstanding the occasional carbon copies, the reinvention of some songs resulted in a few gems.

Locally the tribute album is put to good use with Phosphorescent Knife Wounds Make for Glow in the Dark Scars, a wealthy collection of songs by Fred Champion’s Glow in the Dark Scars performed by local acts (My Wonderful Machine, Summer Set) and beyond (The Rosebuds, North Elementary).

The 30 songs represent material from Glow in the Dark Scars’ catalog over the years.  If you’ve never heard a single track from GITDS this collection is a solid primer.  The songs are spicy and eclectic and there’s more than just a few gems here.  The material is interpreted in a variety of styles (rock, grunge, western, synth, soul) and given its length, really shines.

Standing out among the different arrangements is each one’s foundation – the strength of GITDS to craft infectious melodies and write lyrics that can be sublime, playful, witty and personal. Ivan Howards’ take on “Live Like That” is a dreamy, slinky rendition, sung in a soft, drunken delivery that’s romantic and casual. Local Honey’s “There I Was” is a banjo rave-up, a tongue-in-cheek take on carefree deviance. At times it sounds like a commercial jingle for giving into your Id, far removed from the crushed-speaker feel of the original, or the throbbing, ghostly version of “There I Was” done by Politics of Confession. And “A” Song” by Roy G Biv is meditative and sugary.

“Freak” by Glow in the Dark Scars showcases a song that’s lyrically memorable and production-wise is simple and fresh. Champion’s hushed, stalker vocals are an interesting contrast to Jessie Williams’ serene and sweet singing. “Wiggle Song” is a grimy, low-slung guitar affair whose vocals are sung snidely and soaked with Minneapolis rocker attitude.

Both Bibis Ellison and Sean Thomas Gerard deliver reserved and beautiful takes on their respective tracks but its Delayed Flights’ “Deal with Jesus” that’s perhaps the most solid, blending fuzz-heavy guitar riffs with throbbing bass lines with a singer whose vocals are a reminder of nasal sounding 90s bands, like somehting Billy Corgan might have written.

Shamu’s “You’re All I Need” is the shortest and sweetest, whose lyrics shine sweetly – “I’ll give you kisses, even wash the dishes/While you watch TV/You’re all I need/You’re the blood I bleed/ You’re all I need/You’re the buzz in my jungle weed.”

There’s a lot to sample here but it’s a great album, one illustrating the strengths of one band that are easily lent to others. Having an album of material is one thing, quite another to have two dozen musicians/bands cover so much material.

The double-sized album is available for download or listening.