“The Downer Trio EP gets the balance just right, with songs like “Razorback” building to a furious crescendo, and “Good Advice For Dogs” holding to a torturedly deliberate pace, even as the drama builds to what would seem to be a bursting point. The group tacks on covers of songs by Dramarama and The Clash, but the reason to pick up this long-delayed EP is Phelps and his band’s three inspired, intense, excellent originals. You probably won’t find it in your local record store, but The Downer Trio is worth every minute you spend tracking it down.” – The AV Club
“There’s something very old about this music, an oldness at its core, that makes up a big part of what moves me. It’s like the land–vast, wide open, and old.” – Maurice Rickard
Originally released by Pacifico in 1997.
“Emerald City” is a song by Dramarama and “Guns of Brixton” was originally performed by The Clash.