Forgotten Fridays: Chopper One - Now Playing

Forgotten Fridays is an occasional feature here at If It’s Too Loud... where we go back and find the lost records of our glory days. We played these on our college radio shows, put them on countless mix tapes, and then forgot they existed. We go back and remind you of their existence, and help decide if they were any good.

Chopper One is the band that features original Weezer guitarist Jason Cropper, who left the band during the recording of The Blue Album and was replaced by Brian Bell. He is also credited as a co-writer on "My Name is Jonas." After leaving Weezer, Cropper formed Chopper One with his wife, Amy Wellner Cropper. In 1997 the band released Now Playing, their debut and final album, which featured the minor hit, "Touch My Fuzz." After Chopper One, Cropper did time in Fliptop and 22 Jacks. He sang the theme song for the massively underrated Andy Richter Controls the Universe, and has done some producing and recording for other bands.

When it was released, I remember enjoying Now Playing but not loving it. It was a little too polished and pop leaning for my tastes. Twenty two years later? It's much better than I remember it being. It's power pop with fuzzy guitars, so not liking it just shows how pretentious I was in college. "Free Lunch" is a ridiculously great song. "Touch My Fuzz" is just as fun as I remember it being. My personal favorite is "Hescher with a Gym Bag," a power pop version of the Pixies's loud/quiet/loud template. 

I can guarantee that Chopper One is far better than you remember them being. If you miss fuzzy power pop with great harmonies and 90's style tongue in cheek lyrics, dust off Now Playing and give it a shot.