New Roman Times (CD - 2004)

Camper Van Beethoven: Jonathan Segel (vocals, guitar, violin, synthesizer); David Lowery (vocals, guitar, piano); David Immerglück (guitar, pedal steel guitar, mandolin, background vocals); Victor Krummenacher (guitar, bass guitar); Greg Lisher (guitar); Chris Pedersen (drums, percussion).

Additional personnel: Alan Weatherhead (guitar, pedal steel guitar, synthesizer); John Hickman (autoharp, midi, background vocals); William Grishaw (piano, synthesizer); Kenny Margolis (keyboards); Chris Molla (synthesizer); Miguel Urbiztondo (drums, percussion); Ches Smith, Frank Funaro (drums); Lauren Hoffman, Casey Martin, Teddy Blanks, Julia McCauley, Anne Hege, Nina Gates, Darion Arnette (background vocals).

Camper Van Beethoven's first new effort in 15 years, NEW ROMAN TIMES lives up to the high watermark set by 1988's OUR BELOVED REVOLUTIONARY SWEETHEART and 1989's KEY LIME PIE, the band's most mature and accomplished statements. The stylistic eclecticism that characterized those albums is in full force here with rock ("The Long Plastic Hallway"), Balkan dance ("Sons of the New Golden West"), country ("Militia Song"), experimental prog-rock noise ("White Fluffy Clouds"), even disco ("Discotheque CVB").

In addition to its appealing, kaleidoscopic sound, NEW ROMAN TIMES boasts some of the group's finest songwriting. An allegory of political crisis in the early 2000s, the record follows the adventures of a young Texan who joins the military, serves in battle, comes home wounded, only to join a militia group and eventually become a terrorist. The narrative contains veiled references to 9/11, the war in Iraq, and the foreign policies of the Bush administration in brilliantly incisive and satirical songs like "Might Makes Right" and "Hey Brother." Always adept at experimental musical statements (on "Come Out," the band remixes minimalist composer Steve Reich's song of the same name), CVB's profound thematic text raises the caliber of their achievement. This album was worth the wait. minimize