Overview: When several albums of Daniel Johnston's homemade recordings appeared in the late '80s (including the wonderful YIP/JUMP MUSIC), it created a significant buzz in music circles. Studio owner Mark Kramer was quickly on the scene, bringing Johnston to his own Shimmy-Disc label for this fine album. 1990 is a collection of extremely polished and staggeringly honest odes to love, comic book heroes, and music. Steve Shelley and Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth accompany Johnston on "Spirit World Rising," but most of the set finds Johnston alone at the piano or guitar. His version of Lennon and McCartney's "Got To Get You Into My Life" has never been covered with this degree of conviction, streamlined down to its essential rhythmic core.1 Devil Town2 Spirit World Rising3 Held The Hand4 Lord Give Me Hope5 Some Things Last A Long Time6 Tears Stupid Tears7 Don't Play Cards With Satan8 True Love Will Find You In The End9 Got To Get You Into My Life10 Careless Soul11 Funeral Home12 Softly And Tenderly BONUS TRACKS:13 Devil Town (demo)14 Spirit World Rising (demo)15 Held the Hand (demo)16 Tears Stupid Tears (demo)17 Don't Play Cards With Satan (demo) Produced & Engineered by KramerRecorded at Noise New York (April 1988) featuring: Steve Shelly (drums) on "Spirit World Rising" Lee Ranaldo (guitar) on "Spirit World Rising" Kramer (piano, bass, tape loops, backing vocals) on "Some Things Last a Long Time"
