Action Musik--AMCD108
Ric is best known as one of the founders and his long involvement since with seminal pop rockers The Velvet Crush, as well as a member of Matthew Sweet’s band and most recently The Tyde. He’s also toured with ‘White Chocolate Space Egg’-era Liz Phair, recorded and performed with Aimee Mann, and did session work on albums by Willie Nelson, The Shoes, Stephen Duffy, and Kyle Vincent, among others! He also played drums for the Josie & The Pussycat movie soundtrack album!
This re-mastered CD re-issue released by Velvet Crush's Action Musik imprint features the original Summershine collection (released in 1996) plus five bonus tracks! Features tracks from Ric’s singles under pseudonyms like The Springfields, Paint Set, and Choo Choo Train, for esteemed labels of the day, like Creation, Sarah, and Subway, among others. Includes rarities & unreleased tunes, plus covers of songs by Matthew Sweet and The Hollies.
“A much-needed and well-assembled compilation of the artist's non-Velvet Crush material, The Ballad of Ric Menck collects [16] sparkling indie single sides, all of them rendered with master pop craftsmanship. Perhaps most notable are the half-dozen cuts Menck recorded with Paul Chastain and friends under the name the Springfields for the legendary Sarah Records label, among them beautifully jangly originals such as "Sunflower" and "Wonder," as well as covers like the Hollies’ "Clown" and Matthew Sweet’s "Are We Gonna Be Alright"; as with the pair of Choo Choo Train tracks…this is all essential material” (All Music Guide)
