Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great "Two-fer" By A Great Band, November 21, 2001
A brief history of the dB's, one of the most original, inventive power pop bands ever: First album ("Stands For Decibels") and second album ("Repercussion") featured two strong co-leaders, Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple. (This import two-fer contains both of these albums - such a deal!) This original version of the band made wildly inventive, if sometimes inconsistent, left-field pop. Then Stamey, the more unconventional of the two co-leaders, left the band, and the Holsapple-led band made albums three ("Like This") and four ("The Sound Of Music"). Under Holsapple's guidance the sound became more mainstream and rootsy, and I personally prefer those albums to the first two, although many people feel the opposite. Anyway, all four of these albums are highly recommended. The dB's catalog is rounded out by "Ride The Wild Tom-Tom", a nice collection of rarities, and "Paris Avenue", a very disappointing last hurrah. Stamey has made a number of solo albums, none of which particularly appeal to me. Holsapple made one fine solo album. Stamey and Holsapple made an album as a duo, which is very good. Holsapple is now a member of the Continental Drifters, who have made 2 nice albums. But of all the music these guys have put out, the best is the first 4 dB's albums, and of these, my favorites ("Like This" and especially "The Sound Of Music") are unfortunately out of print, though you have a good chance of locating them used if you put a little effort into it. But I'd definately recommending putting this import package right in your shopping cart right now, who knows how long it will remain in print.
|
|
|
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
They were one of the best power pop, May 18, 2000
The Db's wrote some of the best pop songs ever. There was a great duality especially in the first 2 records (The CD contains both) between Peter Holsapple's 2 or 3 minute perfect pop confections and Chris Stamey's more bizarre experimental melodies and fab guitar playing. And not only did the group have such great tunes, they were all great players. Will Rigby was/is a fantastic drummer and has played with people like Matthew Sweet since then. Gene Holder is a great, melodic bassist as well. You really can't lose. I'm jealous that they didn't put it out earlier. Just get it. "Black & White" IS one of the greatest poptunes ever. And so is "Amplifier", "Nothing Is Wrong", "Livin' a Lie", "Happenstance", and "She's Not Worried".
|
|
|
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Now It Can Be Told (again), September 12, 2000
Folks, if you read my earlier review of the collection "Ride the wild Tom-tom", you'll see this record is the answer to a long-standing wish to see these two seminal and influential albums re-released. Now you can hear for yourself the realization of the potential on display in "tom tom". "She's not worried" is nothing less than a classic in the vein of "Pet Sounds"-era Brian Wilson. In fact, it bears more than a passing resemblance to "God Only Knows". Phil Spector's wall of sound walks hand in hand with Alex Chilton's blue-eyed soul wail on "Living a Lie". And "Amplifier" is the funniest, funkiest tune in the country tradition of songs such as "She Got the Gold Mine-I Got the Shaft" that you're likely to hear. I could go on about how great each and every one of these songs are. But I'll just cut to the heart of the matter and say that if you love upbeat, catchy, melodic tunes full of sing-along choruses, jangly guitars and SWEET harmonies-you really should pick up this record! The dB's changed my pop life, now let them change yours. Won't you? Thank You.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
Interact With Your Music: Discover, listen to, and buy new music, all from the pages of SPIN's digital edition, free to Amazon customers.
See all 26 tracks on this disc
by The dB's 
