Review of Two Weeks in Australia
by Mike Pattenden
From Melody Maker 1993
Evan Dando's transformation of The Lemonheads from obscure Bostonian noisenik trio into sublime laid-back folksy grungers stems from a sojourn in Sydney back in 1990. It was here that Evan blissed out (a step further) on the sand'n'surf, hooked up with local player Tom Morgan and conceive It's A Shame About Ray.
This 12-track video finds The Lemos back in Evan's spiritual homeland, Oz. Shot for the most part by ex-bassist Jesse Peretz, it features Evan lolling around strumming acoustic numbers, plus unseen concert footage and promos. He also introduces his Aussie mates and some of the characters from his songs - like Alison Gallaway (whose E-rush inspired 'Alison's Starting To Happen') and, of course, Blake Babe and 'Drug Buddy' Juliana Hatfield.
Despite the inclusion of 'Mrs Robnson', Two Weeks exists as more than a simple trawl through It's A Shame..., with some thoughtful performances: Evan at a record store signing session, performing 'Ride With Me'; flopped on a rock for the sweet 'Being Around', with its touching line "If I were a booger, would you blow your nose?/Would you pick it, would you eat it?" and the unreleased 'It's About Time', dedicaed to Hatfield and taken from the forthcoming album.
Cute, dopy and breezy, Two Weeks... is a laid back tast of summer and zinc cream - just what you'd expect really.
8/10
