ARCHERS OF LOAF - TALKING OVER TALK / CRUEL REMINDER Vinyl 7"

With brutal honesty, The Loaf’s Eric Bachmann reports on their newest single:

Of all the songs Archers of Loaf have written and recorded over the last 28 years, “Talking Over Talk” ranks 26th (out of around 75, give or take a few) in overall relative quality. It’s no rock epic like “Wrong” or “Harnessed in Slums,” but it’s no snooze fest like “After the Last Laugh” or “Death in the Park,” either. If you’re a fan already, you’ll probably allow it into the lexicon with mild enthusiasm. If you’re new to the Archers, however, you probably won’t make it through the first minute or so, which is understandable because there are so many other sounds to enjoy during your short time here.

“Cruel Reminder,” the B-side, comes in at a modest yet impressive 25th place—barely edging out “Talking Over Talk” for the victory. I’d be lying if I told you that applying a “B-side” status to “Cruel Reminder” didn’t result in some pretty awkward conversations. Not to point fingers or place blame, but a lot of internal politics and backstabbing dictate what receives A status or B status in this world. A shame, I think. Especially when you consider that the majority of our songs haven’t received any status at all.