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More prolific post break-up than pre-, the Posies return with their second live album of the year (the first, Alive Before The Iceberg, was a rough'n'ready rocking set from their 'farewell tour'). 'In Case' is a subdued, acoustic affair featuring ten selections that allow for a timely reassessment of their back catalogue with each of their five studio albums represented. Somewhat hampered by one too many over-vocal fans looking for their moment in the spotlight (a little lower in the mix please) for the most part these are exemplary renditions of some of their finest moments, though the nostalgic return to the naive first album (Believe In Something Other, I May Hate You Sometimes) merely emphasises the superiority of later classics. Still it's hard to fault a set that includes Ken Stringfellow's three greatest Posies compositions - Solar Sister, Please Return It and Precious Moments - and a great slowed down Grant Hart as an added incentive, with Jon Auer proving equally adept at self-selection (Throwaway, Flavor of the Month, Suddenly Mary). With the imminent release of the four CD box-set of previously unreleased outtakes and demos and the recent Geffen Dream All Day compilation, alongside the aforementioned live album and a multitude of solo offerings in the pipeline, this new addition to the catalogue has a sense of the unnecessary about it (The Posies have a prolific and passionate network of live tape traders) and the minimalist artwork (wrong track order and all) hardly makes for an essential purchase. Except of course that any record by The Posies is just that.

Matt Dornan
CWAS #6 - Autumn 2000

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