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Reviews of "The Very Thing That You Treasure"


  • "Beautifully crafted, laid-back pop songs as sunny as a fresh summer's day, and as melancholy as mid-fall, Spike Priggen's The Very Thing That You Treasure is a delicate, yet sophisticated acoustic pop record."

    Alex Steininger

    In Music We Trust


  • "The Very Thing That You Treasure, Priggen will tell you, has been a lifetime in the making. Quite frankly it’s been worth the wait."

    Kurt Hernon

    Bangsheet


  • If there is any justice in this teen-popping world, The Very Thing That You Treasure won't get lost on the streets. It's a sweet little treasure that deserves a home.

    Carrie Havranek

    SonicNet


  • "The Very Thing that You Treasure is, quite simply, an amazing album. From the first track, a gorgeously reverby, jangly pop ballad called "Every Broken Heart," you know you're into something good. Priggen's voice is kind of nasal and a little bit awkward, but there is a gentleness to it that is immediately charming."

    Scout

    Delusions Of Adequacy


  • "Next time I'm getting over a terrorizing, head-over-heels heartbreak, The Very Thing That You Treasure will be in the driver's seat, helping me cry myself into the nearest telephone pole. Until then, this unbelievably depressing CD will be sitting on my shelf, safe from unsuspecting ears that can't deal with its gut-wrenching power. Priggen definitely has issues with chicks, as several tunes (including "Every Broken Heart" and "She Used To Be My Baby") highlight a borderline obsessive-compulsive singer-songwriter bloodletting his emotions onto a recorded medium. Priggen has a way with words, and his exceptional lyrics weave intricate tales of desperation and loss that somehow, by the disc's end, inspire a sense of hope and yearning. Nonetheless, this potent collection of tear jerking, honky-tonk pop tunes is a marvelous expression of calculated emotional outbursts. Medical authorities should be contacted immediately, as this CD should only be allowed into your CD player with a prescription from your local psychiatrist."

    Andrew Magilow

    Splendid E-zine


  • “To be blunt about it, this is a brilliant LP, and as debuts go ranks right up there with those of Marshall Crenshaw, Big Star and The Pretenders. It’s full of indelible hooks and I just want to keep playing it again and again and again…One of the year’s best”

    Toast Magazine


  • “Turns simple phrases around gorgeous melodies and into moving pop poetry”

    Mean Magazine


  • “Gloriously melancholy. Worth every minute of the ride.”

    Power Of Pop


  • “The very definition of bittersweet”

    Joey Sweeney

    Time Out New York


  • "His lyrics seethe with John Lennon's anger (and wit), but most often, and most brilliantly, they hinge on the sort of forlorn melancholy that Chris Bell made so affecting."

    Red Tunic Troll

    Amazon Customer Review


  • "In the finicky music world, Spike Priggen may well be destined to skirt around the perimeters of success for a few more years to come, but his satisfying songs are already worthy of a wider audience. Priggen's debut, The Very Thing That You Treasure, finds the accomplished musician joining the alt.country fray as a less cocky version of Ryan Adams. Two of the better offerings, Every Broken Heart and Outtasight take to the sort of countrified twang that R.E.M. tried for on 1991's Out Of Time. .. It is welcome news that Priggen has already set to work on a follow up."

    Rip It Up Magazine


  • "Priggen's songs are so melodic and throw up so many surprises both lyrically and sonically that it is hard not to love everything on this record.All of the tracks have been a favourite at different times so it is hard to pick out a standout song. It changes from the opening 'Every Broken Heart' to everything in-between that and the last song, 'So Good To See You', a strange psychedelic ballad full of weird effects and mellotron.

    Pennyblack Music Website


  • "In truth it's hard to single out tunes for praise when all 12 tracks are consistently solid. This is a 'song' record, an album that's not about glossy production or sampled drum beats. Spike Priggen writes damn good songs, and that's what you'll find on The Very Thing That You Treasure."

    Barfly.com


  • "Not the most rock 'n' roll of names, and one most likely that most of you have never encountered before, but then 'The Very Thing That You Treasure' isn't the most rock 'n' roll of records. In fact, the debut from New York based multi-instrumentalist Priggen is a wonderfully vibrant melting pot of eclectic pop rock styles that will have power pop fans drooling.

    Classic Rock (UK)


  • "Starting with a chorus of “Every broken heart is just like the first one”, Priggen shows his perfect hand early. Matching Teenage Fanclub with Matthew Sweet, he can’t help but sound like Big Star – which is even better! Irresistibly ragged production and endlessly bittersweet guitar solos will have you singing every line, and feeling like you wrote them all yourself. Proof beyond question that the one thing you can never grow out of is a teenage crush."

    TNT Magazine (UK)


  • "It's an album of confidant versatility, and the two years it took to record are evident in the sound of the material, the care that has been given. So often these days music can seem meaningless, vocals tossed away with a cheap rhyme, but not here."

    Logged Off Website

TV Neats 9/27/81

71314376_c8a3e026a3_oTV Neats 9/27/81
New Haven Green
New Haven CT
Photos By Ian Churchill
A Flickr Photo Set
More On TV Neats

Posted by Spike on Dec 08, 2005 at 06:52 PM in Pictures, Scrapbook, TV Neats |

Me And Bun E

BunespikeHere's me and Bun E Carlos in the front seat of my (since deceased) 1977 Volare Station Wagon. We're on our way to Brooklyn's "Fireproof Recording"  where Bun E played on 8 Spike Priggen tracks in one day (nice going Bun E!). 6 songs are on my new all-covers CD "Stars After Stars After Stars" and there'll be 2 more on my next all originals CD (working title "There's No Sound In Flutes").

Posted by Spike on Jun 13, 2005 at 11:02 AM in Pictures, Scrapbook, Stars After Stars After Stars |

Shielded By Death Volume 3

Tvneats_1This is so weird. I never thought I'd have a "What's New" item about a band I was in 25 years ago, but I just figured out (through a discography on this site) that a song I wrote (and sang) when I was like 14, "Pushing Buttons" (for the band I was in then, TV Neats) is on a compilation CD called Shielded By Death Vol. 3 on Bacchus Archives Records. Not only that, but another TV Neats song (written by band leader Ricky Rondo) is on "Meet Me In The Time Tunnel – Obscure Powerpop From The Land Of The Lost 1978-1985" from the Japanese "Wizzard In Vinyl" label. And both songs have gotten airplay. On cool stations!
Now I don't know who, if anyone, gave anybody permission to put this stuff out, but it's pretty funny that someone would wanna. That doesn't mean I don't want my 8.5 cents per record (which I've recently found out is the standard royalty rate- 'cause I'm having to pay it to all the artists I cover on my new record!).
Mp3 of "Pushing Buttons" is here . Now I gotta go figure else what other songs of mine are out there on records I don't know about.

Posted by Spike on Feb 18, 2005 at 01:57 AM in Pictures, Scrapbook, TV Neats, What's New |

The Lonely Crowd

ThelonelycrowdIn 1994 I spent about 6 months in Europe, playing gigs in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Paris (singing covers in an Irish Pub). I spent several months in Scotland altogether and Malcolm Ross and I formed a cover band called "The Lonely Crowd", after a book I found, which was pretty popular in dodgy pubs all over Edinburgh. Every gig Paul Haig (Josef K) would get up and sing a Velvets Medley and Jo Callis (Rezillos/Human League) got up and played some Chuck Berry style guitar at one gig.
Picture Caption: Me, Malcolm Ross and Billy Buckley in our cover band The Lonely Crowd.

Posted by Spike on Jan 22, 2005 at 10:04 PM in Malcolm Ross, Pictures, Scrapbook |

The Lean-To's/ The Streams

SpikeprigginThe Lean-To's was a band formed by my friends Joe Rees (who I'd known since high school) and David Brooks (who I knew from my 1 year at SVA), I played bass and Jim Balga drums. After the Lean-To's disbanded, David started The Streams, with me on bass and Jeff Weiderschall ("Baby Huey" and original member of Miracle Legion) on drums. The Lean-To's had 1 7 inch single and a bunch of unreleased recordings. The Streams had several 7 inches and a slew of unreleased recordings.
Photo by Kathleen Cei.

Posted by Spike on Jan 22, 2005 at 04:10 PM in Pictures, Scrapbook, The Lean-To's, The Streams |

The Hello Strangers at Coney Island II

ThsnathansbwIn front of Nathan's. Left to right, Mark Spencer, Doug Wygal, Spike Priggen and Robert Vickers. Circal Early 90's

Posted by Spike on Jan 22, 2005 at 04:01 PM in Pictures, Scrapbook, The Hello Strangers |

The Hello Strangers at Coney Island

StrangersgokartThe Hello Strangers at Coney Island from front to back: Robert Vickers, Spike Priggen, Doug Wygal and Mark Spencer. Circa Early 90's

Posted by Spike on Jan 22, 2005 at 03:58 PM in Pictures, Scrapbook, The Hello Strangers |

The Hello Strangers Live

TwilightzoneThe Hello Strangers live with Joel Potocksy on bass and Jeff "Baby Huey" Weiderschall on drums.
Circa 1987.

Posted by Spike on Jan 22, 2005 at 03:53 PM in Pictures, Scrapbook, The Hello Strangers |

The Hello Strangers "Goodbye" Line-up

ThsgoodbyelineupA picture of the line-up that recorded The Hello Strangers "Goodbye" LP at our rehearsal space in New Haven. From front to back, Joel Potocsky, Mark Mulcahy, Spike Priggen and Joe Rees.
Photo by Kathy Milani, I'm pretty sure...or maybe Jim Balga?
Circa 1987

Posted by Spike on Jan 22, 2005 at 03:42 PM in Pictures, Scrapbook, The Hello Strangers |

Danceteria/The Blue Period

Meandroddypolaroid_1In 1982 I moved to New York City and studied photography at the School of Visual Arts for a year before dropping out and getting a job as a barback at Danceteria, arguably the hippest club in the world at the time. I got to see alot of great acts when they 1st came to the states (the Smiths/ Birthday Party/Jesus and Mary Chain's 1st American gigs) and got to meet and befriend some of my favorite artists like Billy Bragg (he played on the roof of Danceteria every night for a week) and Roddy Frame of Aztec Camera (who i later did last minute solo opening spot for at the Bottom Line).I started playing music with two of my Danceteria friends, Nicole Willis (later lead singer of Repercussions/now solo artist) and Dmitry Brill (later DJ Dmitry of Dee-lite), we called ourselves The Blue Period. The music was minimal pop influenced by Young Marble Giants/Weekend/early Everything But the Girl and Getz/Gilberto.The Blue Period turned into The Hello Strangers which initially was just Nicole and I, me playing guitar, both of us singing.Later we added Jean Caffeine (solo artist and former Pulsallama member) on drums and then Mark Mulcahy became the second drummer. I have a tape of the Blue Period rehearsing, recorded on my trusty old JVC box and will maybe put some files up at some point if there's any interest. Click below to hear the very first Hello Strangers performance ever at Danceteria, introduced by doorman Haoui Montaug, at his "No Entiendes" cabaret.
Polaroid of Spike Priggen and Roddy Frame at Danceteria 1983 by Jette.

The Hello Strangers-To Sir With Love.mp3

Posted by Spike on Jan 22, 2005 at 03:03 PM in Danceteria/The Blue Period, Pictures, Scrapbook, Sounds, The Hello Strangers | | TrackBack (0)

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Reviews Of "Stars After Stars After Stars"


  • "New York-based Spike Priggen of Liquor Giants, Pussywillows, and Dumptruck enthralled fans with his 2001 solo debut's synthesis of Big Star's chime, the dBs' quirkiness, and Dwight Twilley's pure pop power. This follow-up of lovingly selected covers (in the tradition of Bowie's Pin-Ups and the Band's Moondog Matinee) melds the hearts and minds of the originals with his overarching melancholy, mating a collector's ear for material with a producer's imagination for re-creation. Highlights include Priggen's versions of the Pontiac Brothers' yearning "Be Married Song" and the Zombies' delicate morning-after B-side "How We Were Before." The Ramones, Tracey Thorn, and Scritti Politti's songs all find a common wistfulness in Priggen's soul- and country-inflected arrangements. Closing the disc is a mesmerizing found-sound "J&H Productions" tape, in which a would-be Cincinnati concert promoter attempts to "get with" the "label industry." Whether the "label industry" "gets with" Spike Priggen, lovers of Lennon, Chilton, Stamey, and Sweet certainly should."

    Eli Messinger

    East Bay Express


  • "Although it is a highly eclectic collection of mostly obscure songs by other artists, Priggen's second album, "Stars After Stars After Stars," underscores the considerable depths of his talent. Priggen makes each song his own, giving the album a remarkable coherent sound. Some of that is due to his song selection, songs which, except for a straightforward reading of Alice Cooper's "Eighteen," render themselves to his vaguely rootsy power pop interpretations. Priggen reclaims "Questioningly," the Ramones' well-written but improbable stab at country-rock and rescues from obscurity early British pop gems such as Tracy Thorn's "Plainsailing" and Scritti Politti's "A Slow Soul.""

    Mark Wilson

    Evansville Courier & Press


  • "This second album finds Spike Priggen and a bunch of friends (Ivan Julian, Bun E Carlos, etc.) covering some great underknown songs by folks like the Pontiac Brothers, the Zombies, Nikki Sudden/Dave Kusworth the Jacobites, Tracy Thorn, the Ramones, etc. If Spike is doing all of the vocals as the press kit seems to indicate; he's the best singing vocal mimic I've ever heard. His Tracy Thorn, and Joey Ramone are uncanny."

    George Parsons

    Dream Magazine #5


  • "Priggen is a frequent performer on the NYC scene and at various times has been a member of Dumptruck, Hello Strangers, Liquor Giants, Schramms, and Pussywillows. His 2001 debut revealed a tremendous talent for perfect pop songs often filtered through a country sound. Therefore, the first track on his new disc comes as quite a shock with its blast of synthesizer. Thereafter, he returns to his normal style, for which a useful comparison is Freedy Johnston, whom Priggen resembles in vocal timbre, melodically (especially), and to a lesser extent in overall style. It's a sound that doesn't work well unless lavished on high-quality songs, and Priggen supplies plenty."

    Steve

    The Big Takeover


  • "Most of the album is a nostalgic look back at the artist's past, including the bands he's played in as well as those he's idolized, including the Hot Bodies, the Jacobites, and the Zombies. He works through these songs competently and respectfully, and in the end what he's created is a tribute to his own musical development. But in doing so he's also given us a window back into some forgotten moments in music from the 70's and 80's various indie, new-wave, and punk scenes."

    George Ford

    Delusions Of Adequacy


  • "On Spike's new "Stars After Stars After Stars" he pulls off the neat trick of recording a classy set of covers (The Pontiac Bros. "Be Married Song"; Zombies, Jenifer Jackson, Sudden & Kusworth) with a star-studded cast (Bun E Carlos, Ivan Julian). He's kicked around in some bands that almost crossed over (Dumptruck, The Liquor Giants, The Caroline Know)--can he finally get a break?". -

    Josh Goldfein

    The Village Voice

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