Add It Up (1981-1993) (CD - 1993)

The Violent Femmes: Gordon Gano (vocals, guitar); Brian Ritchie (vocals, bass, didgeridoo, jaw harp, xylophone); Victor De Lorenzo (vocals, drums).

Additional personnel: Drake Scott (various instruments); Peter Balestrieri (vocals, tenor & baritone saxophones); Cynthia Gayneau (vocals); Tony Trischka (banjo); Ashwin Batish (sitar); Christina Houghton (autoharp);Bobby Jennings, Caleb Alexander (tenor saxophone); Dominic Placco (trumpet); Drake Scott (cornetto); Sigmund Snopek III (trombone, piano, organ); Mike Kashou (conch); Tom Mandel (keyboards); Michael Beinhorn (organ).

Producers: Glenn Lorbiecki, Mark Van Hecke, Jerry Harrison, Warren Bruleigh, Michael Beinhorn.

Engineers include: The Violent Femmes, John Tanner, Victor De Lorenzo.

Includes liner notes by Elliott Murphy.

Personnel: Victor de Lorenzo (vocals, whistling, drums); Gordon Gano (vocals, guitar, fiddle); Brian Ritchie (vocals, guitar, didjeridu, xylophone, Jew's harp); Peter Balestrieri (vocals, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Cynthia Gayneau (vocals); Tony Trischka (banjo); Christina Houghton (autoharp); Ashwin Batish (sitar); John Zorn (clarinet, alto saxophone); Jerry Harrison (soprano saxophone); Caleb Alexander, Bob Jennings (tenor saxophone); Dominick Placco (trumpet); Drake Scott (cornet); Sigmund Snopek III (trombone, piano, organ); Michael Beinhorn (organ); Tom Mandel (keyboards).

Audio Mixers: David Vartanian; Eric "ET" Thorngren; John Tanner; Warren A. Bruleigh.

Liner Note Author: Elliott Murphy.

Recording information: American Recording, Woodland Hills, CA (09/12/1981-04/06/1992); Carriage House, Stamford, CT (09/12/1981-04/06/1992); Castle Studio, Lake Geneva, WI (09/12/1981-04/06/1992); DV's Perversion Room, Milwaukee, WI (09/12/1981-04/06/1992); Midwest Recorders, Milwaukee, WI (09/12/1981-04/06/1992); Music Works, London, England (09/12/1981-04/06/1992); Palace [live] (09/12/1981-04/06/1992); Secret Sound Studios, New York, NY (09/12/1981-04/06/1992); Stebbing Recording Centre, Auckland, New Zealand (09/12/1981-04/06/1992); Sympathetic Muffler, Milwaukee, WI (09/12/1981-04/06/1992).

Photographers: Rocky Schenck; David Vartanian; George Lange; Francis Ford ; Diane Jefferis; Ken Hansen; Howard Rosenberg; Paul Natkin; Daniel Corrigan; Geoff "Stinky" Worman; Karen Keene; Sigmund Snopek III.

Add It Up is not quite the definitive Violent Femmes compilation one might hope for, even if it does feature 23 tracks and adds essential later items missing from their first comp, Debacle: The First Decade. There are several charming rarities to hook dedicated fans, who will likely find several favorites missing (perhaps another song or two could have been substituted for the between-song bits). The group's self-titled debut does a better job of encapsulating why they were important, and remains the first Femmes album to buy; besides, no compilation that includes live versions of "Kiss Off" and "Add It Up" in place of the original studio cuts can claim to be definitive. However, even casual fans who enjoyed Violent Femmes will find post-debut songs like "American Music" and "I Held Her in My Arms" to be essential, so even if Add It Up is a little too imperfect to be a necessary first purchase, it's definitely a necessary second purchase. Unless you're a die-hard fan, it will likely be the only other Violent Femmes disc you'll need. ~ Steve Huey

The perfect introduction to the world of the Violent Femmes, ADD IT UP is a collection of studio tracks, live versions, and assorted ephemera. It includes some of the band's classics--"Blister in the Sun," "Gone Daddy Gone," and "Jesus Walking on the Water"--as well as a sizable number of previously unreleased songs and demos. Among the latter are a studio version of a live favorite ("Waiting for the Bus"), the horn-section breakdown of "Dance, Motherf*cker, Dance," and "36-24-36," which features the (destined to be immortal) lyrics "36-24-36, I want lots of pretty chicks." "Kiss Off" and "Add It Up" also appear, both in typically charming, ramshackle live versions.

According to the band, ADD IT UP is meant to close the first chapter of the Violent Femmes' history. Considering the band's influence on American music, the record also serves to remind us that the whole generation of "geek-rockers" that follow in the Femmes' footsteps are doing just that: following where their elders have already been. minimize