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THE BADLEES
Up There, Down Here (Ark 21)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
Four years of record company aggravation, centered around the Seagram's/ Universal merger and the resulting complications with their previous label, Polydor/A&M and its parent, Polygram, has kept the badlees from following up their 1995 release, River Songs, which yielded two top ten singles. When it was all sorted out, they had a new label and now we get a new badlees album. It turns out to have been worth the wait.Up There, Down Here offers 13 new songs from the Pennsylvania based quintet, and there should be at least two more chartbusters among them. The first single, "Don't Let Me Hide," is a good 'un, but maybe not the best. With the right push from Ark 21 and the chance to maintain a more consistent presence, these guys promise to be one of the top acts for the turn of the century.
The chief strength of the band lies in the songs themselves, which are rich with pop accessibility but still rock with a gritty bar band energy. The skills of the various members can't be overlooked, though. Multi-instrumentalists rule the day, offering a variety of textures and accents that lift them well above standard pop-rock fare. Bret Alexander contributes guitar, mandolin, banjo, lap steel, dulcimer and zither to the mix. Pete Palladino doubles on accordion and harmonica and bassist Paul Smith is also cellist Paul Smith. All of the above contribute vocals, as does guitarist (guitarist?! That's all?! Well, in this case, that's enough...) Jeff Feltenberger. Ron Simasek doesn't sing here, but he rounds out the lineup on drums, percussion and vibes.
You'll be hearing at least some of this on the radio soon, I'm sure, but you'll really want to hear the rest, so add it to your "gotta have" list.
Track List: Don't Let Me Hide * Luther's Windows * Thinking In Ways * Which One Of You * Little Hell * 34 Winters * Middle Of The Busiest Road * Cellarbird And Zither * Running Up That Hill * Love All * Silly Little Man * The Second Coming Of Chris * A Little Faith
© 1999 - Shaun Dale