Search - Bodeans :: Still

Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams STILL Surviving On the Streets

sdwesteen1 | Milwaukee, WI USA | 03/05/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"So, for 20+ years of recording, critics and fans have been asking to hear the BoDeans trademark sound (1) either recorded on their own, (2) produced by T-Bone Burnett(like their '86 debut Love and Hope and Sex and Dreams) and (3) without the influence of a record company. With Still, you get all three. The title "Still" is short for "Still Surviving on the Streets." Get it? The honey-and-tea trademark vocals get better with age and are worth the wait. Subtle but driving guitars along with the clean ones keep Still from being L&H&S&D II. It's Sam Llanas' tunes(Willin', First Time, Wonder Wonder, Reason) on this one hammering the requisite BoDean innocence, sincerety and charm that a Rolling Stone critic complained was lost by the BoDeans' second output OLI.



Best yet, you get another dose of Neumann and Llanas' Waukesha Invasion, who, like Lennon and McCartney, Jagger and Richards, Daltry and Townshend, and the Davies brothers during the years of the 60's British Invasion, know how to follow the tether back to what was important about the mix of guitar pop, country, R&B, and melodic rebellion that formed rock and roll in the first place. On Still, thrown in is some reflectively wise hard-driving roots comparable to Social Distortion(Waste a Lifetime) or mature pop melodies like Crowded House(Everyday, Hearing, Arms) with only touches of experimentation and atmosphere that don't distract. Pretty Ghost is rhythm-heavy guitar pop rock noir like Fadeaway except the lyrics strike during an age of lunatic narcissism that permeates the contemporary culture. Finally, BoDeans just doing what they do best.



There's nothing even close to modern "ear-fatigue" production here with, at times, sparse levels of key and less-than-key instrumentation that instead let the melody, rhythm, or vocals pump and breathe like rock music should. It's T-Bone Burnett's magic and worth the purchase just for the assurance that rock records can still exist like this.



The trick to maintaining interests in the BoDeans' lyrics is knowing and accepting Llanas and Neumann, at times, intentionally try to write simple songs(it is rock and roll....and you can, for example, by books if you're looking for more depth of coverage on life events). Still is no different. Without the pretension or obnoxiousness of trying to be big, universal or anthemic, there's enough space to get sucked in thinking or feeling, "Damn, that's me or been me" when triggered by a vivid, wise, or unique single lyric line that proves impact with it's inextricable link melody and performance.



For anyone who passed by the BoDeans in the "college rock" years or after using them in the 80's as a foot-in-the-door entry into alt.country and Americana singer songwriting, you'll have to decide if it's worth it to be pummeled by farmer T-Bone cultivating a fresh batch of unrelenting catchy melodies and unrivaled, believable, singing and harmony vocals, pending upon whether your curmudgeony, lyric-probing, influence-detecting, nerd factor allows such indulgences into the spirit of rock music anymore. Buy it and you'll play along trying to pick what's a radio single or just part of the soundtrack of your life. There's no filler here. Still is an example of ONE reason why you turn to college rock or an "alt" movement and buy whole, non-commercial, albums in the first place: you can mainline some good tunes without the sway of unwelcome manipulators.



You can even buy the BoDeans Still along with the new Bauhaus and have a "proto-goth" vs. "roots rock" death match in the college rock dojo of your psyche. That should take you back to the alternative 80's and leave you twitching and talking aloud to yourself on the bus for a while ;-)

"

Refreshing Return

T. Schroepfer | Saint Louis, MO USA | 03/05/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I have been a BoDeans fan for 20 years so I admit to my obvious bias for their music. This album reminds me of what initally drew me to the BoDeans' sound. This is an excellent album with many catchy and rather insightful songs. I look forward to hearing these songs being played live at their next concert (which will hopefully be soon)."

Bodeans -- Still --great

wiz 43 | 03/25/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I just received my copy of Still from Amazon.com,and gave it a working over with my new Polk Rt-i's.This is good stuff from artists that have proven they can survive this industry for so long.Like other reviewers, I've been a Bodeans fan for a long time,and have had the pleasure of seeing them perform live several times.Kenny Aronoff does most of the drumming on this album.I was at a Bodeans concert at the Big Top Chautauqua in Bayfield Wisconsin a few years ago,and as much as I enjoy Kurt's guitar and harmony with Sammy,I left there wondering how much money one would have to pay to watch and hear a better drummer than Kenny.If you're a Bodeans fan, you will buy this album and enjoy it like all of the rest.If you're not a fan,-- WHY NOT ???"