V.3 - Photograph Burns LP (Onion Records, 1996)
OG first (and only?)-press dead-stock from the mid-'90s!
"Mistakenly categorized as lo-fi, underground legend Jim Shepard and his mid-'90s outfit V-3 should really be termed lo-pro (for low production), as the many mumbling, sometimes droning lo-fi bands of the mid-'90s have little artistically in common with Shepard's offbeat, organic rock. However, at a period when bands like Pavement and Guided by Voices were releasing records that practically shimmer by comparison, the production value of Photograph Burns is stunningly low for an indie, much less major-label, release. The tinny, yet rambunctious sound of this 1996 American Recordings release contributes greatly to its charm, but Shepard's material deserves some notice too. "Torch" and "Caucasian White" are two strained and poetic examples of Shepard's honesty, his ability to be both obvious and abstract simultaneously. Toward the end of Photograph Burns, some sonic experiments and opaque material slow the record down as V-3 appears to lose faith or interest in the music's initial structure. This meandering final third is a minor disappointment, but hardly enough to prevent the V-3 debut from being considered anything other than an achievement." - AllMusic (**** "Album Pick")