Customer Reviews

Paris Avenue

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I've been a fan of the db's since their inception in 1978, and I consider them one of the great bands of the '70's and '80's. This album, though, is truly terrible. It was not actually intended for release. These were demo recordings by the band that an unscruplous manager sold to an indie label, who issued them on CD years after the band had gone their separate ways. Co-founder Chris Stamey had long departed the band, and the group's other singer/songwriter, Peter Holsapple, is not in prime form on these rough recordings. These are the demo recordings of a dispirited band that never quite made it commercially, and were probably aware that the end was near.

Save your money for the Chris Stamey/Peter Holsapple release in June 2009, or for the reunion album by the original db's lineup that is scheduled to be released later in 2009. And if you are a fan of great rock & roll and have never heard the db's, get your hands on their first two releases Stands for Decibels (1981) and Repercussion (1982), which sound as fresh today as they did when they were initially released.

This collection of 16-track recordings that would have comprised The dB's final album is a welcome addition to this late and lamented band's recorded history.


Even in their roughest form, lead dB Peter Holsapple's songwriting shines on tracks such as "Morning Bugle," the funny live set staple, "Why Did You Sleep with My Girlfriend?" and the mid-life reflection, "Bald-Headed Baby."


Bassist Jeff Beninato, meanwhile contributes a rare non-Holsapple lead vocal, and drummer Will Rigby cements his reputation as one of pop's premier drummers


Unfortunately for the band, the writing was already on the wall, and The dB's folded before this record saw the light of day.


Essential only to completists, Paris Avenue provides the final piece of The dB's puzzle and hints at what have might have been if the universe was dominated instead by witty and skilled craftsmen and not highly polished and disposable product.

I'm sorry to report that "Paris Avenue" is a pale, lackluster anomoly in the dB's catalog. Hard to identify what exactly is wrong, but somehow the whole thing is just lifeless. If you love all the other stuff, including Holsapple's and Stamey's solo albums and side project (such as the always interesting Continental Drifters), and you really want to have EVERYTHING, then go ahead and get Paris Avenue, anyone who's that much a fan is bound to find something worthwhile here. But I like everything else these guys have done better than this. By the way, for the record, Stamey did not participate in this one.

I have just about every group/solo album from the dB's, Stamey, Holsapple, Sneakers, etc. It is not all great, but mostly very good. This ... stinks. It is the group that did Like This and The Sound of Music, lead by Holsapple. The music sounds unfinished or underwritten. If you are a Springteen fan, this is their "Human Touch". There are a couple things here and there which are nice, but *only* for the completist. BTW, if you are interested in checking out the dB's, just about everything else they did is worth hearing.

I wonder if the reviewers trashing this understand that it's a collection of demos never meant for release. Agreed, this set doesn't hold up as an "album" but it has enough high points that I don't at all regret picking it up. Heck, the Kinks cover alone was worth what I paid.

i totally disagree with the reviews here i mean Bald headed baby might be one of Holsapple's best.. Morning Bugle i think are very db's like.. Hey i know there isn't a she's got soul on here but give Peter a break... this cd is a must have for any db's fan!!