Open Web Player
I've been a BoDeans fan since their first album, Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams, in 1986. In 1989 I finally saw them live, at NYC's Ritz ballroom. Having seen the Stones a week prior, I came away thinking, the Stones claim to be the world's greatest rock'n'roll band-- but maybe I'd give them number two. That's how great the BoDeans were live, and I haven't missed them since if I could possibly catch a show.
For me, 1996's Blend was something of a disappointment, and while opinions will vary on that score, I thought it was their weakest (although still pretty darn good.) That it took 8 years to see a follow-up-- despite Kurt and Sammy each releasing solo albums in the interim-- was a crying shame.
From the first strains of Kurt's "If It Makes You," it is clear that this is an unabashed return to form. Then Sammy's fine "Marianne" follows, and you are in BoDeans heaven. The production may be a bit too slick and modern-- frankly I'm in the camp that says T-Bone Burnett should produce every one of their albums (he did the first and Go Slow Down)-- but as on Black and White, which initially suffered from jarring production that got in the way of the songs, eventually after enough listens the songs shone through and the production faded into the background. The BoDeans are a band best served when the producer stays out of the way.
The best part of any BoDeans album is where the primary songwriter is joined by the other. The quintessential example is on Home's "You Don't Get Much," when Sammy wraps his voice around Kurt's for the line "In this old town (Sammy joins now) the wind starts blowin'." In an odd way the BoDeans are like the Indigo Girls, where two songwriters compose seperately, but make each other's songs better than the sum of its parts by blending their interpretive talents.
If you are a BoDeans fan of any level of intensity, I think you want this album. If you are new to the group, though, it probably isn't the place to start; I'd start with L&H&S&D and/or Go Slow Down. And my personal favorite is their second, Outside Looking In. And too, I gave this 5 stars, but my real rating would be 4.5. Stand-out tracks for me are "If It Makes You," "Marianne," "(We Can) Live," "Wild World," (the first 4),"Crazy," and "617." At least those are the ones I put on my iPod.
Frequently bought together
$2.44
Get it May 9 - 20
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
+
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2004
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2013
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2005
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2008
