Search - Bobby Bare Jr. :: Young Criminals Starvation League

So So

Lauren | 07/08/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the strangest CDs I've purchased in quite a while. Thirty seconds into the first track (I'll Be Around) I was saying "this sounds a lot like something Lambchop would do." Then a look at the credits revealed Paul Burch, Paul Neihaus, Tony Crow and Mark Nevers--all of whom are current or past members of Lambchop--were involved.The Lambchop comparison pretty much ends with that song. What follows are some darn catchy songs and some a couple of annoying ones as well. Flat Chested Girl is a lot of fun, Bullet is a good song and I like the Smiths cover of What Difference Does It Make. Stay in Texas is another memorable number. The Monk At The Disco (this really sounds like something Morrisey would write) is pretty good, although a little on the trite side.The centerpiece of the CD is obviously Dig Down and it just doesn't work for me, despite some ear-catching lyrics. It's packaged as a protest song with single guitar in the background. It's too minimal, didactic and heavy handed, especially compared to the relatively light-hearted fare that surround it. It just sounds out of place. Mehan, another song with bare(?)-bones accompaniment, doesn't connect with me either.This is the first I've heard Bare Jr. so my review is not influenced by his (from what I've read) much different sounding recordings with his full band. On the negative side, whose great idea was it to print the lyrics on the actual CD itself? Pretty lame."

Sharp Alt Country from Bar Punk Master

02/22/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you are familiar with "traditional" Bare Jr then you already know that none of their amplifiers go lower than 9 and can guarentee that your ear drums will be bleeding by the time you walk out of the concert hall. However, in place of the guitar crunch and distorted vocals, Bare Jr. puts low-fi recording gear and an acoustic guitar in his presence. His skill as a songwriter & lyricist really shine through in every track on this record. It's a great mellow CD for just about any occasion, as it winds its way through catchy "altcountry-pop", folk-like improvisations, and the occasional pedal steel and "y'all". His band is super tight and never plays anything that overshadows the core of the song itself. Highlights on the album (well...all of it), are "Bullet Through My Teeth" in which Bobby Bare Sr himself sings back up vocals, "Stay In Texas" which features some nifty pedal steel work reminiscent of the streets of Austin, and "Painting Her Fingernails", which tells a bitter tale of a lonely heart. I highly highly recommend picking this album if you are into just putting on some great music in the background, if you are driving anywhere, or just want to relax in general. This album is a top 5 in my collection!"

Great CD

Lauren | MO United States | 07/21/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This cd provides a mix of sounds and lyrics and smashes 'em all together and its fantastic! It is such an interesting combination of tones, harmonies, and instrumental talent I can't help but listen to every song over and over. Bobby Bare Jr.'s rock/country voice makes this music unique and I highly recommend it."