BMG
's
Rodent Weekend
is an uneven rarities/retrospective package from one of
pop
music's most underrated writers and misunderstood characters -- uneven because that's the reality of
Tonio K.
's professional career. Beginning as a member of the posthumous
Buddy Holly
backing band
the Crickets
in the early to mid-'70s under his given name
Steve Krikorian
,
Tonio K
made a real name for himself in the late '70s as America's outrageous answer to the British "angry young man" phenomenon carved out by
Elvis Costello
and
Joe Jackson
, among others. Needless to say he never achieved the notoriety of those two but as these songs will attest
could be every bit as clever and biting as his famous counterparts. The majority of selections here are previously unreleased tracks from
K
Life in the Foodchain
Amerika
period as well as demos for the
La Bomba
EP. A small sampling of his immediate pre-
Romeo Unchained
songwriting is unveiled as well. Concluding this album is the sarcastic, semi-hit
"I'm Supposed To Have Sex with You"
from the film
Summer School
followed by two minutes of sophomoric foolishness involving a hamster. ~ Dave Sleger