The Led Zeppelin I of the 90's, dood! Well, sort of….

Stetsasonic came out of Brooklyn in the 80's with a "live hip-hop band" concept, taking a cue from past R&B and funk groups with huge lineups. Out of their three studio records it's the second effort In Full Gear which got (and deserved) the most attention. The group tackles a number of different genres within the group context, and while it tends to come across in a very regimented, Run-like manner, they pull off the main trick competently. Not to say they don't go overboard with it - the cover of The Floaters' "Float On" is the best proof of this - but that's kind of the point of this record, too.

Orange is a fun disc - as if the Beastie Boys or that kind of hip-hop attitude was merged with trashy glam-rock like the New York Dolls or The Cramps and then put forth as a band. Spencer constantly yells out his lines like a demented carnival barker while his backing band pounds out lots of rough blues-inspired vamps.

I'm not convinced this is a such an outlier as it relates to 1960's San Francisco bands, but the main thing is they really create a great live feel on this record. The opener "White Bird" is the group's best-known track but there's something in everything to ponder here, good or bad. But usually good! The orchestral bombast of "Bombay Calling" was the inspiration to Deep Purple's "Child in Time". Elsewhere, "Time Is" brings down the curtain in a frantic mood. But for me, all paths lead to "Wasted Union Blues", one of the weirdest, out-of-control, rollercoaster epic rockers a so-called "wimp" band has ever put to tape. This isn't sterling all the way through, and I've never heard a single note of this band past this record, but believe you me, their debut was one fascinating effort.

On the one hand, it is undeniable that this disc is an improvement over Pirate Prude, both technically and artistically. The addition of Ash Bowie as a full-time member of the group played a big role, allowing Timony more focus in her approach. On the other hand, it is also undeniable that what is presented here is a glossier, more professional version of the jumbled, grumbly mess that was the debut EP. If you were a big fan of that product, then you will like what you hear on this album. I find the second half of the disc to be more interesting, thanks to “Superball”, which to me was Helium’s best single, bar none, along with a couple of ballad-style tracks which are decent (“Honeycomb”, “Oh the Wind and the Rain”). Whatever the case, this CD is Helium’s “alt-rock” disc (in a rough sense), because soon after this, the group would start moving away from their indie rock roots, into even weirder realms.