Roll over, Beethoven!

Camper Van Beethoven was formed in June, 1983 in Redlands, California. It originally focused heavily on electric guitars and garage-band sound, melding the various elements into a mixture of classic covers and traditional Russian music. As time wore on, Camper Van developed its own unique style, not adhering to any particular musical label. Most of its compilations consisted of a myriad of forms ranging from southern bluegrass and Eastern European folk tunes to the more typical '80s ska.

From the start, Camper Van was intent on casting aside pretentious labels and artistic materialism. Most songs combined offbeat musical instruments with goofy lyrics that seemed to poke as much fun at the band as whatever songwriter David Lowery was intent on parodying at the moment.

The band's first album, Telephone Free Landslide Victory, was released in June, 1985, and quickly became a hit among independent Californian radio stations. A year later, the band's second record, II & III, was released in the United States. Camper Van's unique style was augmented with an assortment of folk-punk fiddles and banjos that contributed to the off-beat reputation of the group.

Up until the release of the band's self-titled third album in 1987, Camper Van consisted of a constantly rotating group of musicians that changed from month to month. By the time the aptly named Camper Van Beethoven was recorded, the band had settled down to its core members _ David Lowery (guitar), Victor Krummenacher (electric bass), Jonathan Segel (violin), Greg Lisher (guitar), and Chris Pedersen (drums).

Lowery, one of the original founding members, was long considered the inspiration behind the group, crafting many of their absurd lyrics as he acted as lead vocalist and musical director. Krummenacher, a former member of the jazz ensemble Wrestling Worms, was another stabilizing force in the band, staying with them from late 1984 to their breakup in 1989. Lisher and Pedersen were both later additions who joined Camper Van full time after February 1986, simultaneously experimenting on the side with Krummenacher's pet project _ a mostly-rhythmic band called Monks of Doom.

Jonathan Segel arguably created the group's signature sound with his electric violin, which is featured in many of the band's most popular songs. The instrument helps to combine their eclectic folk roots with the more modern feel of late '80s rock music. But as time wore on and Lowery took more of a personal interest in reigning in the previously wild sound of Camper Van, Segel began to work more and more on the outskirts of the always volatile group. After releasing Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart in 1988, Segel and Lowery had a series of falling-outs that culminated in the violinist being fired from the band in 1989.

Segel was replaced by street violinist Don Lax in early 1989, and the band went on to produce their last full album, Key Lime Pie. Soon afterwards, Krummenacher, Lisher, and Pedersen split to more seriously pursue their side project, Monks of Doom. David Lowery went on to found the still-functioning band Cracker, which combined much of Camper Van's early offbeat styles with a more commercial backdrop in an attempt to create a more marketable product. A decade later, Lowery and Segel got back together to produce the group's last album, Camper Van Beethoven is Dead, Long Live Camper Van Beethoven! This compilation included reworked versions of early tracks as well as a few new songs written years after the band's breakup.

Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart is less edgy than Camper Van's early music, mostly as a result of Lowery's increasingly heavy hand. The opening track, "Eye of Fatima," quickly became a popular music video showcased on MTV. The album itself is a typical combination of laid-back folk tunes and more intense musical riffs, but it also features a more closely rocking band than previous CVB albums. Lowery's unique lyrics are showcased to their fullest (a typical line from Turquoise Jewlery reads "Come down from your tree house condominium/And start driving around that station wagon/with the wood on the side"), and the lead singer himself makes better use of his vocal talents by avoiding his tendency to speak-sing lines like he did on past albums. All in all, Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart is typical Camper Van Beethoven, perhaps demonstrating the group's tightest musical work as they constantly seek to redefine their sound in new and exciting ways