Two Years of Being Singles - The Singles Compilation

Chicago-based one-man band Daver (no last name, thank you) came up with the idea of releasing two different sets of three inter-related singles in the early '90s. These were eventually whittled down to one set of five singles (although on the single sleeves, it was easy to tell which singles had been meant to go together because of similarities in artwork), all of which were released between 1992 and 1995. Although that's a three-year span, all the singles were eventually collected on the 1996 compilation Two Years of Being Singles, along with seven bonus tracks recorded during the same sessions. Daver's on the accessible side of art pop, akin to mid-period XTC or Temple of Low Men-era Crowded House. Sophisticated songs like "Europa" and "Alexandria" most fully explore this side of Daver's musical personality, but he's also a skilled pop/rocker in the tradition of his fellow Illinoisans Shoes. "The Mighty Icon of Pop," a dead-on character study enlivened by perfectly placed hand claps and backing vocals, is one of the better obscure singles of its era. The bonus tracks are at the same quality level as the singles themselves, with the Kurt Cobain eulogy "The Stupid Club" a particular standout.