A good start

The Pleasure EP by Semisonic is a fascinating look at one of the current music scene's best bands in its formative stages. Only seven of the fourteen tracks are actual songs, the other seven being bits and pieces of conversation and noise, but the music that is there is quite good. The first two songs, "The Prize" and "Brand New Baby", sound a little weak compared to their professionally produced versions on Semisonic's debut album "Great Divide", but the others are extremely well done and sound surprisingly clean for demos. Standouts are the energetic "Sculpture Garden" and the Munson-sung "Star".

Best of group (IMHO)

Fans who hope for depth, variety, and intensity will be rewarded. This CD most clearly captures the feel of Trip Shakespeare, the earlier group featuring some members of Semisonic. The songs are well-crafted, engaging, and INTERESTING. From what I've heard, their following albums are far more predictable and dull--where the "singles" are completely formulaic, shallow bits of pap, and the intervening tracks repetative musically and uninspired lyrically. Almost every song on this album is direct, engaging, and musically challenging. You will remember each distinctly after the album, whic is rare these days.

DONT BUY THIS ALBUM

Don't buy this album. Closing Time is the only good Semisonic song so just buy the cd single.