Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Time well spent..., January 17, 2000
The Badlees are a very talented and dynamic band who have never received the amount of attention they deserved from the media or the public. The lyrics are thoughtful, clever, and compelling. Lead singer Pete Palladino is a combination of The Door's Jim Morrison and INXS' Michael Hutchence; his commanding voice will surely win you over. Although I've heard the band's sound compared to Hootie and the Blowfish, I think they are in a league of their own.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A must for Badlees fans, but not the place to start, January 10, 2003
I fell in love with this album after it was released and still listen to it from time to time, but it has been eclipsed by their later releases, especially "Amazing Grace" (my personal favorite), "Up There Down Here", and the new gem "Renew." Some of the material on "Spare Time" now sounds a bit dated, although the lyrics and musicianship still outstrip most of the band's would-be peers from the era (anyone remember the vastly overrated Hootie?). Stand-out songs include: You're Not The Only One, Laugh To Keep From Cryin', Tore Down Flat In Jackson, and, for those quieter moods, A Matter Of Time. The band sometimes still performs "Jackson" in shows. I, for one, would like to hear Laugh to Keep From Cryin' played more - it's still one of the great early examples of Bret Alexander's lyric-writing prowess.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Some of the best alt-rock you've never heard: 3.5 stars, October 26, 2002
After over ten years and several albums the Badlees still remain one of northeast Pennsylvania's hidden treasures, remaining largely overlooked and underappreciated outside their native area despite making a blip or two on the national radar. It's really a shame, considering that their lyrics are more witty, fun and intelligent than anything I've heard on the radio in years. The music is a finely-tuned modern blend of Southern sound and thinking-person's rock, performed with a bright soulfulness. It's almost what Widespread Panic might sound like if they switched the dominant electric guitars for some acoustics and tossed in a little harmonica.. but nobody's likely to confuse the Badlees with WP anytime soon. These guys have a happy rock sound all their own and Pete Palladino's rich voice sounds like nobody else out there.All that being said, their second album ..Spare Time still isn't the prime example of what these guys are capable of. A few of the highlights are mighty fine: the spirited opener "A Better Way..," "The Unfunny," the peaceful singalong "A Matter of Time," the harmony-laden "Easier Done Than Said." But this is one of those groups that sounds better and better every time out, and as fun as this disc is, it's been overshadowed by their more recent albums - the classic River Songs, Up There Down Here, and Renew. If you're going to get hooked, that's the way to go first.
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by The Badlees 
