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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hidden Gem,
This review is from: American Worker (Audio CD)
Arista couldn't figure out how to market a black funk-rock band. Most blacks were into r&b funk and disco and hiphop hadn't yet proven that white audiences would respond to aggressive lyrics and music from black artists.
These guys were good and this CD aged well, even though their debut was even better. There are several types of Rock songs on here (only Soul Surfing, a surf-rock jam with social lyrics addressing the band's fish-nor-fowl identity echoes the feel of their first album). They performed New Shoes in the movie 48 Hours, which is how I came to be interested in them. Heart and Soul was covered the very next year by Huey Lewis and The News was a chart hit (bittersweet for the Bus Boys, no doubt). In fact, Huey Leweis & the News could be seen as a more radio-friendly, white-bread counterpart to The Bus Boys' sociopolitical funk-rock. I think the content of this album probably reflected pressure from Arista to make something more radio-friendly. To no avail; they left Arista after this album. Anyway, pick it up, you won't regret it. The strongest cuts are New Shoes, Last Forever, Opportunity, Heart and Soul, I Get Lost, Soul Surfing, which make up the middle 6 songs this 10 song set.
5.0 out of 5 stars
great album,
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: American Worker (Audio CD)
this is a great album from a great band the flew under the radar. They should have gotten more airplay but their music didn't fit into any genre.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Overlooked Classic,
By The Mackster (USA) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: American Worker (Audio CD)
I agree with everyone else. This is an absolute gem that should have got more attention then it did. For starters they cover a whole boatload of different styles and do it with memorable original cuts from the synthesized new wave rock of the title track (American Workers), Bar band boogie (New Shoes), a Sprinsteenish anthem (Last Forever), Ska (Opportunity), and a 50's send up that recalls the lighter moments on their first release (Soul Surfing). They also tear through the pop rock ditty Heart and Soul (The one Huey Lewis and the News would top the charts with several years later).
As good as these cuts are they are not even the best on the record. Those would be the 2 heavy rock cuts "I Get Lost" and "Yellow Lights" along with the hard rock with new wave trappings closing cut (I Believe). I never realized what an impact the Busboys had on the black rock band "Living Colour" but these 3 cuts are living proof. If there was any doubt these guys could rock these 3 cuts put any doubts to rest. They are incredible. The best song on the record? For me it is the 2nd to last cut "Falling in Love". It is one of the best songs of the 80's in my opinion yet it remains an undiscovered gem. It is just a simple, punchy, catchy, new wave classic that never got an ounce of airplay. I recommend everyone check this release out. It is a classic by one of the tragically overlooked bands of the 80's.
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