Footage: Poole's "Supermerica"

You know, you think you know everything there is to know about a band (or at least everything you want to know), and then something happens to make you realize that's pretty impossible. Such is the case with D.C.-based (we thought it was Harrisonburg, VA, but we're too lazy to dig out a 7" to check that) indie rock act Poole, which between 1992 and 1999 released a series of albums and singles on the dearly departed Spin-Art label. We were a pretty hardcore Spin-Art devotee in 1993 or 1994, about the time we enountered Poole's amazing -- AMAZING -- "Mary Shakes Her Hair" b/w "Car" and "Meredyth On A Monday" single. The full-length Alaska Days followed, from which the pop confection "Supermerica" is taken, although two of the aforementioned single tracks were re-recorded for the set as well.

But what is interesting -- well, to us, and beside the fact that this isn't the most obvious track to get the video treatment on the record -- is that the version of the track in this video is different from the album version. The video version has a completely new and pleasantly chunky synth line riding the mix, the vocal is boosted, and the guitars sound as if someone took the two-inch tape and ran it back through the mixer with the "grunge radio unit" button depressed. But really, it's that synth line that is the big surprise. You, dear reader, have probably heard neither version, but we recommend you feast your ears and eyes on the power pop bliss out above. It makes us miss the '90s a lot. Buy Alaska Days used and cheap cheap at Amazon right here.