The twelfth and final release in a dozen-years-long recording career,
Tidal Wave of Hype
is only
the Wake
's fourth album. It also sounds like guitarist
Caesar
, keyboardist
Carolyn Allen
, and drummer
Steven Allen
are ready to call it a day; nearly every song on the album features fed-up, witheringly sarcastic lyrics. If it's not a scathing character study like
"Crasher,"
"Obnoxious Kevin,"
or
"Provincial Disco,"
the last of which is just plain mean-spirited, it's the deeply ironic album title, the depressing graffiti-strewn cover photos, and self-lacerating tunes like
"Solo Project"
and
"Down On Your Knees."
The songs are wispy
jangle pop
in the
Sarah Records
tradition, pretty enough to hide the alternately virulent and despondent lyrics, but the unlisted bonus track, 41 seconds' worth of tolling funeral bells, is enough to drive the point home.
The Wake
split up shortly after this record was released. The U.S. release on the
Widely Distributed
label adds both songs from 1991's
"Major John"
/
"Lousy Pop Group"
single. ~ Stewart Mason