Most of the cuts here are the product of vanity sessions - after the Psychopaths scored with "Till the Stroke of Dawn" and broke up, Arvedon hired a series of session players to back him on self produced recordings--an album, a single and a remarkable 8-track only release titled "The Most Remarkable Tree We Ever Met." All the tracks from these releases are here, along with the Psychopaths two sides and some alternate arrangements of several songs.

This isn't always easy music to listen to. Arvedon has some real skill--a pop sensibility that rivals Jonathan Richman (whose Modern Lovers Arvedon once auditioned for), a twisted sense of humor and the knack for crafting a good lyrical hook. He also has a habit of "singing" in an upper register that he simply doesn't possess. There are keys in which he can actually sell a lyric, but he apparently doesn't prefer to use them much.

But there are songs worth hearing here--and songs which, given the right treatment by the right performer, could be hits. Enterprising musicians who could look past the vocal quirks and sometimes sketchy production could find material well worth adding to their repertoires. Some of it's even fine the way it is. Arvedon can control his vocal excesses when he wants to, and some of the players he hired are quite capable.

David Arvedon abandoned his musical pursuits in the late seventies to pursue marriage and business interests. The marriage failed, and the business followed suit, and Arvedon's back in music, making appearances in the Boston area. Sometimes he plays with the latest version of the Psychopaths, sometimes he sits in with local bands, sometimes he hits karaoke night with his own tape to perform original songs. One of his songs was picked up by Dr. Demento and got enough response on the air to merit a slot on one of the Doc's compilation albums. Arvedon figures this might lead to his big break. Until or unless that happens, though, there's music in this package, and some of it bears digging out.

David Arvedon's not for everybody, but hey, you're not everybody - you're somebody. You might even be somebody who'd find something to like here... I did.

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