Customer Reviews

Down in the Shacks

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Judybats made some pretty great pop songs that most people didn't get a chance to hear in the early 90's. An earlier song from theirs called "Kindness Kills Me" (which I highly recommend you finding) got me hooked on to them. This album is more refined than that song, but it flows very nice and even if some of the lyrics aren't meant to be happy, I always found this album just giving off a good vibe. It just makes you appreciate quality music and just feel good all over. Go get it and be happy you did!

For me, this is the best Judybats album in their all-too-small catalog. They had a distinctive sound, filled with great melodies, and a special energy & wit that was unlike most other alt-rock bands of the time ... yet they could also delve into more contemplative & melancholy territory. Sometimes that melancholy was just below the surface of the bounciest songs, such as "Our Story" or "Saturday." If I had to try & define their sound, I might suggest a cross-pollination of the B-52s' humor & several Southern jangle-pop bands, such as Let's Active or REM. But that's just a rough suggestion.

It's a shame that the music of the 1980s is largely relegated to images of big hair, bad clothes, and a handful of Top 40 hits. There was so much more going on behind that one-dimensional media facade, and the Judybats were right in the middle of it. But they didn't fit into some easily defined niche, and their label wanted something more mainstream from them. So these days all of their work is out-of-print, sad to say.

Still, the low prices for their used CDs make them easy & inexpensive to sample. And it's well worth it. Once these songs get into your head, they'll stay there for a long time, and leave you wondering why more people didn't appreciate just how good the Judybats were. Highly recommended!

I got this over 14 years ago and I've never stopped listening to it. This is a rare accomplishment and it's a crime that something like this could be out of print. (I mean, is XTC's "Skylarking" out of print? And yet, some of Robyn Hitchcock's work is out of print. Why is that? Oh,well ...) One of the best recordings of the decade. "Native Son" is almost as good, but if you haven't heard the Judybats, start here.

I learned about this CD from the horror novel UNIVERSITY, by my favorite author Bentley Little. I read the name in the book and, as it happened, saw it at a used record store that day. It's awesome! Why these guys aren't huge stars like U2 is a mystery.

I actually got to see The Judybats in concert during their brief tour as a band, and let me tell you, they were even better in person than on disc. But if you're going to sample them, get this, their best, album: Down in the Shacks Where the Satellite Dishes Grow. "Saturday," "Margot Known as Missy," and "She's Sad, She Said" are the strongest songs on the album, but the overall album has that magic of the sum being greater than its individual tracks. Others will claim Native Son is a better album, but for my money, this is The Judybats' masterpiece.

I will jump on the underrated bandwagon. I discovered the bats in college as a DJ in MD during the 90's. Their first two albums Native and Shacks are two of my all time faves (I like this one the best), and one of the two are in my truck at all times. Generally, mellow and folky with intelligent lyrics, however they can rock too. Unlike so many other bands these guys should have been giants. If you don't own this album, you should.

I'm a bit surprised at the very high customer rating for this album. As others have said, THE JUDYBATS were terribly underrated in the early 90s. They deserved more attention. But compared to their previous release, NATIVE SON, only one year earlier, this album is, sad to say, a real disappointment.

Down in the Shacks is an inconsistent effort from a band that is capable of much better. Many of the songs have an unfinished quality to them - some have decent hooks but the lyrics are flat, others have a promising intro but just don't fully deliver. Perhaps there was a different production team on this album, perhaps this one was released too close on the heels of NATIVE SON, perhaps there were some personal issues they were dealing with or they had been touring too heavily, but whatever the reason this is just not in the same league. Where NATIVE SON was infectious, Down in the Shacks is simply lackluster.

However, I didn't say this album was awful, just that it was inconsistent. It does include some good tracks. My personal favorites are Our Story, Lullaby - Weren't We Wild, Saturday, Witches Night, and Poor Bruised World.

THE JUDYBATS should appeal to fans of other fun, alternative groups of the late 80s and early 90s like THE SMITHS, JAMES, THE LEMONHEADS, TMBG, or BNL. But I would highly recommend trying NATIVE SON rather than this album for a more consistently exceptional and enjoyable experience.

I've seen the Bats in concert twice in Chicago and actually met them backstage once. This CD and Native Son are my two faves. I agree with one of the other reviewers that Peggy should come back. They seem to have lost "something", I don't know what, after she left. Pain Makes You Beautiful has good lyrics, but is somewhat depressing - more of an autumn listen if you ask me. This CD and Native Son are much more upbeat and happy. I keep them in constant rotation in my car. If you haven't listened yet, PLEASE DO. You won't be disappointed. Too bad the JudyBats were overlooked in the 90's due to all that Seattle grunge crap that was so popular at the time.

i went to high school with three of the bats and lived with them when they were just starting so you could say i have a bias about this album. but i would have to say it is one of the twenty greatest cds i have (and i have about a 1000). this is by far their best recording, sort of their "rumours" (though no one bought it). after this peggy hambright left and the band started its slow decline. they are back in a new incarnation but they really need peggy back! give up cooking for a few years woman and rejoin them fellers.
jeff lindstrom

The best cd is "pain makes you beautiful" but this one is great too. Best song on it is "Lullaby, Weren't We Wild." Great emotional angst with a smooth melody. gotta love them!