2000 Great Songs #1377: Goodbye Ohio

While I don't deliberately go out of my way to highlight obscurities in this space, sometimes I can't help but pluck out some deep cut from an already relatively unheralded record that hit me in a way I'm sure it's hit nobody else.

Too Much Joy's 1991 LP Cereal Killers is an underappreciated alt.rock gem, buoyed by the perfect power pop single "Crush Story" but chock full of songs that are just outside the scope of MTV's 120 Minutes, full of post-punk energy and a fair amount of comic snark. And just before it closes, we're treated to the surprisingly poignant "Goodbye Ohio," a clever rocker about the local retired astronaut which manages to offer an array of pathos and wisdom while being resoundingly catchy and unexpected. Frontman Tim Quirk's edgy sneer can be an acquired taste, but seems to take on a modicum of respect for its subject beyond the silliness.

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