As great a songwriter as Rob Christensen is, it seems a tad presumptious for him to think anyone would be interested in this collection of outtakes and rarities dating back to 1992. Maybe there's a cadre of rabid fans I'm unaware of? On the other hand, Rob's cast-offs are better than most of what I hear, so I'll forgive him this slight indulgence. Really, is it any more indulgent than self-releasing music in the first place? Hmm, getting too deep here. If you're already into Christensen from The Truth Hurts, Smile Slightly and Opera Alley — or his column in Tape Op — then you may enjoy knowing that the bridge of "Alison Day" (1994) was later used for "Someday Soon" from the Opera Alley album (2000). Newcomers, however, should spend some time with The Truth Hurts before tackling this collector's edition. - Jim Santo, www.demouniverse.com
Jim Santo - Demo Universe (Nov 24, 2001)