Part of the Red Hot series, Red Hot + Bothered was a compilation released in 1995 that featured various selections from indie rock artists and was themed as “The Indie Rock Guide Book to Dating.”
Originally released as two 10″ records that included a special fanzine, the music was later digitized to a single CD compilation.
Lisa’s “The Mirror is Gone,” a b-side from the Geek the Girl sessions is featured here in its first commercially-available release. The track was also included on the Cry Wolf promotional single that same year and most recently on the 30th Anniversary Special Edition of Geek the Girl in 2025.
Released: November 1995
Label: The Red Hot Organization (9 45983-2), Kinetic Records (9 45983-2)
Format: CD, 7″
Country: US
Availability: Moderate
Vinyl Tracklist
| No. | Artist | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Built to Spill + Caustic Resin | Still Flat | 1:52 |
| A2 | The Verlaines + Shayne Carter | Some Fantasy | 4:36 |
| A3 | East River Pipe | Miracleland | 2:46 |
| B1 | Lisa Germano | The Mirror is Gone | 2:43 |
| B2 | Cradle Robbers | Sotto Voce | 3:40 |
| B3 | Jay Farrar + Kelly Willis | Rex’s Blues | 4:38 |
CD Tracklist
| No. | Artist | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Freedom Cruise | Sensational Gravity Boy | 1:52 |
| 2 | Built to Spill & Caustic Resin | Still Flat | 4:19 |
| 3 | Lisa Germano | The Mirror is Gone | 2:43 |
| 4 | Noise Addict | Mouthwash | 2:51 |
| 5 | Folk Implosion | Indierockinstrumental | 2:28 |
| 6 | The Verlaines + Shayne Carter | Some Fantasy | 4:36 |
| 7 | Liquorice | Little League | 3:41 |
| 8 | Babe the Blue Ox | Hazmats | 3:27 |
| 9 | Juicy | Mainland China | 3:19 |
| 10 | The Sea and Cake | The Fontana | 4:49 |
| 11 | Cradle Robbers | Sotto Voce | 3:40 |
| 12 | Jay Farrar + Kelly Willis | Rex’s Blues | 4:38 |
| 13 | The Grifters | Empty Yard | 4:14 |
| 14 | East River Pipe | Miracleland | 2:46 |
| 15 | Heavenly | Snail Trail | 3:08 |
| 16 | Future Bible Heroes | Hopeless | 3:34 |
| 17 | Flying Nuns | Servicing Man | 4:25 |
| 18 | Gastr Del Sol | Quietly Approaching | 6:43 |
Personnel
“The Mirror is Gone” written by Lisa Germano
Produced by Lisa Germano and Malcolm Burn
Reception
The Red Hot Organization goes indie in a most compelling fashion. Billed as The Indie Rock Guide to Dating, this compilation is every bit as geeky cool as it purports to be. Though not every artist here is the cream of the crop, enough Grade A contributions make the endeavor more than a bit successful. Highlights include “Sensational Gravity Boy” from the Robert Pollard-fronted Freedom Cruise; Built to Spill Caustic Resin’s sterling “Still Flat” (even though it appears in a bolder, fleshier form on their eponymous EP); Lisa Germano’s fragile, fractured acoustic ditty; the shambolic grandeur of “Some Fantasy” from the criminally ignored Verlaines; a subtle song from the Sea and Cake; East River Pipe’s poetic, sad “Miracleland”; a bubbly, droll version of “Hopeless” from Future Bible Heroes; and the indie Television-lite stylings of Flying Nuns. The collection would probably be better off without Folk Implosion’s tired New Order homage, Noise Addict’s amateur sounds, Babe the Blue Ox’s empty, histrionic stab at the blues, a weak track from the usually powerful Grifters, and the bland minimalist plodding that Gastr del Sol submitted. Even though there are a bunch of subpar tracks, Red Hot made enough smart choices when choosing the artists that Red Hot + Bothered becomes a fine sampler of indie rock circa 1995.
Tim DiGravina
AllMusic
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