Album No Big Problem

Best known for his wildly mannered performances in the films “Back to the Future,” and “River’s Edge,” 25-year-old actor Crispin Glover puts another feather in his cap this month with the release of his debut album, “The Big Problem.” Produced by L.A. musical duo Barnes & Barnes, the record is loosely drawn from Glover’s writings (he’s written 23 handmade books and is at work on a new one).

“This record is based on a concept called the big problem,” explains Glover. “All the lyrics point towards what the big problem is and the listener’s job is to figure out what it is. There’s a phone number on the record jacket and so far three people have called with the correct answer--which made me very happy. That indicates that the record actually made sense to somebody.”

A congenial, well scrubbed young man, Glover confesses, “It’s never been a dream of mine to do a record, but I’ve enjoyed doing this.” Two years in the making, the record includes a version of “The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze,” a rap anthem and spoken word musical poems.

Soon to be seen in the John Boorman film “Where the Heart Is” and David Lynch’s “Wild at Heart,” Glover has earned a reputation as being quite a handful (he has the dubious distinction of being the only guest ever to be thrown off “The David Letterman Show”). He’s aware of his image, but isn’t particularly distressed about it.

“I try not to worry about that,” he says. “A few years ago I was trying to put across a certain image--an eccentric artist with a little insanity thrown in--but I’m not interested in perpetuating that. Not because I’m afraid it will scare people off, but because it’s a lot of work keeping an image up. As to whether I think of myself as an eccentric artist, I don’t mind that description, but I think the insanity part is a bit false.”