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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
if you like music, you'll like the dB's,
By
This review is from: Repercussion (Audio CD)
Without a doubt, my favorite dB's release.I've been putting off writing a review for any dB's release because I wasn't sure my words would do the recordings justice. I'm still not sure this review is a good idea. But I'm in the mood, so here goes... I got into the dB's after seeing them mentioned quite a bit on the Internet. Thank God for amazon.com -- it was the only place where I could hear something of this band (even if it was only a mere thirty seconds). I clicked on the sample of "Black and White" (off of their first album, "Stands For Decibels") and instantly fell in love. It was something I've never heard before, and I've listened to lots of stuff in my lifetime. Catchy, somewhat simplistic, yet completely inventive and interestingly done. I bought the only dB's release in print (the combonation of their first two albums) back in early June, and I'm still playing it a lot (and probably always will). Although "Stands For Decibels" is indeed a fantastic album (no bad songs whatsoever, all classics or near-classics), "Reprecussion" is the one I'll probably always call my favorite. First of all, there are NO bad songs on this release. None, nada, zilch. Every single song works completely. The sound is a bit more... richer, I suppose, than the first album. A bit more produced. Which, in my somewhat slight opinion, is a good thing. I have many memories already with this album. I've turned my siblings onto the dB's via "Living a Lie." This song is unlike anything else in the entire dB's catalogue... it has a horn section. But, like everything else the dB's has ever done, it is insanely catchy, clever (but not too clever), with wonderful melodies and winning vocals. The second track, "We Were Happy There," gives off a somewhat more sad feeling, I suppose. The lyrics seem to be a bit more angry... and the music is interesting and fresh as always. "Happenstance" is the song that really hooked me to this album. If I had to pick between Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple (the two main singers/songwriters) as to who was the best, I think I just might go with Chris Stamey -- the chances he takes usually end up with wonderfully atypical pop songs. This song, lyrically, is just amazing. "Run back to your mother/tell her all the cool things that I did" and "A mother knows what's best, she said/a mother knows what's good/so run back to your mother/she always said you would." The music is tense and determined. And, odd as it sounds, it's a great song to sing to as well. "From A Window..." reminds me of the dB's mixed with the Beach Boys. In a good way, mind you. It takes on a rather somber tone. The song is well written, both musically and lyrically. Chris Stamey again takes credit for lead vocal and songwriting on this track. The sole hit (if there ever was one) from "Repercussion" would have to be "Amplifier." It's very, very easy to see why. The lyrics are both somewhat controversial (I guess) and hilarious. It's about a kleptomaniac girlfriend, pretty much. "Dan went home and killed himself last night/she'd taken everything, she'd taken everything." The driving guitar and the deadpan vocal delivery are just perfect. Oh, the wonderfulness that is "Ask For Jill." The lyrics appear to mean absolutely nothing, but that's part of the fun. There's even a break during the center stretch where Chris tries to get ahold of Jill via telephone and has to be put on hold. Deceptively catchy, the song is really quite simple... but some of the best things in life are. "I Feel Good (Today)" is another classic. It starts off as a very pretty acoustic song, and then turns into a full-fledged rocker. "Storm Warning" is a very upbeat song, courtesy of Peter Holsapple. The lyrics "You've been a loser all your life" run rampant with the wonderful melodies and other wonderful sing along lyrics. Really good stuff here. "Ups and Downs" has grown on me like no other song on this record -- perhaps because it's not as obviously catchy as the others are. It's genius and greatness will certaintly be revealed upon repeat listening... you'll begin to notice the most intricate and fascinating guitar work in this song. I love this one very much. "In Spain," at first, appears to be filler (at least for the dB's standards). But, much like "Ups and Downs," the more you listen, the better it gets. Having listened to it a lot, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this song, and it perfectly fits with the rest of the music on this album. The next song is this album's "Moving In Your Sleep" -- "Nothing Is Wrong." It's fragile and beautiful melodies perfectly complement anyone feeling in a more down mood. This song is one of the most beautiful things Peter Holsapple has ever made. Really good stuff, really good stuff indeed. The last song, which just may be the best, is a little ditty called "Neverland." It's one of the most upbeat, energetic, and overall perfect songs the dB's have ever released. This is probably the closest the dB's ever came to jangle-pop (R.E.M., Rain Parade) due to the somewhat ringing guitar lines. The warm feeling throughout it all and ingeniously played music makes it possibly the best album closer of all time. Well, at least in my opinion. Anywho, my tracklisting analysis is based on the official tracklisting (varified by drummer Will Rigby himself) which is also available on the "Stands for deciBels/Repercussion" compilation, published by Collector's Music. Please, I urge you -- give the dB's a chance. They deserve it more than any other band I know.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely Perfect,
By A Customer
This review is from: Repercussion (Audio CD)
It doesn't get a smidgen better than this. On their 2nd and last album, the dB's smoothed out every wrinkle in their production and songwriting. The jangle is still there, but in place of the spare arrangement and shrill quirkiness of Stands for Decibels (which are enjoyable in their own right) is a welcome polish. The hit, "Amplifier", is not to be missed.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Power Pop,
By A Customer
This review is from: Repercussion (Audio CD)
Being a fan, I was tempted to rate this a 5, but it does have a few weak spots (we won't talk about those). (Very) high points include: the horns on "Living A Lie" which work surprisingly well; the Beatles & Byrds references ("And I Love Her" and 'Notorious Byrd Brothers' respectively) on "From A Window"; the original "Amplifier" (mixed better on 'Like This') is just a great song/story ("He took his drugs, they took his life...she took it all, in one big haul") and has a groove to boot (if you haven't seen the video, supposedly banned on MTV, find it!); the very pretty/sad "Nothing Is Wrong"; and, the new-wavy and now dated "Neverland" (these days I tend to prefer Marti Jones' version, speaking of underrated/overlooked 80's artists). Also, I love "Ask For Jill" but my daughter complains whenever I play it because she hates Chris Stamey's "geeky class-smart-ass" voice. And she may have a point. In his defense, his guitar intro on "Cara Lee," (not on this CD) remains one of the catchiest in all of Power-Popdom.
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