Joan of Arc, Joan of Arc Dick Cheney Mark Twain (side C)

Joan of Arc Dick Cheney Mark Twain, from 2004, ranks among my favorite Joan of Arc albums. A double LP, it contains possibly the most extreme cross-section of their work, from memorably catchy songs like "A Half-Deaf Girl Named Echo" to fully abstract sound collages. Crazy live drumming coexists with crazy drum programming—it's hard to tell sometimes where one starts and the other ends. The recording is NOT lo-fi, but it does sound really weird, and Tim Kinsella's vocals are always thinner and reedier than I'd like to hear them (this album is no exception). Weird front cover, somewhat unattractive back cover, and double colored vinyl complete the package.