Archival Weirdness at its most Wonderful
Wayne A. Cresser | Providence, RI USA | 08/11/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"NRBQ released Tapdancin' Bats on Rounder in 1984 when they were in a pissing contest with Albert Grossman at Bearsville. Grossman didn't want them making any more records and wouldn't let them out of their contract. Hence, Tapdancin' is entirely stockpiled material, some of it dating back to 1972, nearly all of it weird and wonderful. The tracks don't exactly blend one to the next. They tumble, swurve and bend. It's a curvaceous record maybe. It's also the Q at their loopiest--with the infectious "Captain Lou," Donn Adam's addlepated lead vocal on "Dry Up and Blow Away," and Terry's equally cracked "Come on and Ride." There's the stuff you know from their shows too: "Ain't It all Right," "The Dough Got Low," "You Pretty Thing," and the surprisingly gritty "Big Goodbyes." Do yourself the favor of getting the deluxe edition with all 16 tracks."