Refreshed Cucumbers Ripe For the Pickin'

Not long after Kevinpat's latest installment of 'Hoboken to Athens' I got a nice note from Deena Shoshkes from the Cucumbers, a band so swell they are featured on volumes one, two and (spoiler alert!) three of the brilliant mix. Before I get a good ribbing for this blatant name-drop, there's actually a reason for telling this tale. Deena had news of a compilation out today that is sure to shake Hoboken and reverberate around the globe.

'The Fake Doom Years (1983-1986)' covers the self-titled EP from 1983, the long player 'Who Betrays Me & Other Happier Songs' from 1985 and the 12-inch single "All Shook Up" from 1986. There are previously unreleased extras too, including a studio recording of "Keep Your Cool" and a live take of "The Body Groove," recorded at Ziggy's in Winston-Salem, N.C., circa September of '85. I'm not telling you to unload your vinyl copies, not by any means, but this remastered collection has never sounded better. Give it a listen below. Then order your digital download from CDBaby. This one has had my attention for days now. What a blast! That first EP has such a great B-52s and X vibe. Athens and Los Angeles are a long way from Hoboken, but as Kevinpat likes to say, it's all connected.

Yep, there's more. To celebrate this release, the band will give a one-off performance on May 13 at the Rent Party at the Woodland in Maplewood, N.J., featuring the classic mid-'80s lineup. Hmm, would Mrs. LTL give me some of her frequent flier miles... again?