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The Judybats - Native Son Audio CD

A fair review of the The Judybats "Native Son" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all The Judybats reviews here, or go back to the The Judybats tabs.

The Judybats Band: The Judybats
Title: Native Son
Rating:
Release Date: 2008-02-26
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Native Son 2: Daylight 3: Convalescing in Spain 4: Don't Drop the Baby 5: She Lives (In a Time of Her Own) 6: Incognito 7: In Like with You 8: Woman in the Garden 9: Waiting for the Rain 10: Counting Sheep 11: Perfumed Lies 12: Wanted Man

Garden of Treasures
There is not one bad song on this CD. I don't do music reviews but when I saw only two (2) reviews, I decided to do this one not because of the lack of reviews but because this truly is a garden of treasured music. I originally bought the cassette tape back in the early 90's and almost wore it out. I was cleaning out my CD chest and decided to part with all my cassettes and decided to buy this album as a CD. It was expensive but worth it. The music is timeless. It is obvious that the Judybats were influenced by the Smiths. This is truly a hidden treasure. It didn't get very much air play on the alternative radio stations which is good since they didn't wear it out. I had forgotten how much I truly enjoyed listening and experiencing the "feel" of this CD. One thing that is disappointing is the lyrics were left out of the CD. That's unfortunate. .


An Underrated, Infectious Album
If you enjoyed fun, irreverant songs from alternative bands of the late 80s and early 90s like THE SMITHS, JAMES, THE LEMONHEADS, THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS, and BARENAKED LADIES then do yourself a favor and buy this album. THE JUDYBATS deserved so much more attention for this album than they received.

NATIVE SON kicks off with a few infectious, up-tempo tunes that will get your head bobbing - great for getting your fingers thumping on the steering wheel or generating a bee-boppin' mood on a walk.

The singing and harmonies fuse perfectly with the instrumentals and every song includes outstanding guitar work. In fact, the guitar provides an ever-present, though by no means overpowering, melody. The way the guitars work together with the vocals provides a lot of character to each song. This is far more than your three-chord standard.

While the overall tone of the album to me is effervescent and peppy, perfect for a walk, jog, or drive on a sunny day, THE JUDYBATS also deliver a couple slower, more contemplative songs that are no less entertaining in their way.

Over 15 years later, NATIVE SON makes regular appearances in my playlists. The entire album is thoroughly entertaining, but if you're looking to sample just a few tracks before you commit to the entire album, I'd recommend the title track, Native Son, In Like With You, She Lives, Convalescing in Spain, or just about any other track on the album.

NATIVE SON is truly a hidden treasure from the early 90s alt scene.


An overlooked gem
Sadly, this band was not well-known, and did not get the attention they merited. This is an outstanding album, one of my favorites of the early '90s. Jeff's voice is strong and easily identifiable; the melodies and guitar riffs are strong, with layered harmonies; Pam provides wonderful textures with keyboard and violin; the lyrics are unusual, amusing, and thoughtful. "Daylight" is my favorite track, due to its catchy rhythm, lyric, and harmonies; "Native Son" and "Perfumed Lies" are also standouts, but all tracks are strong. Fans of The Smiths ought to have devoured this album, which is the Judybats' finest effort.


You can see a complete list of all The Judybats discography, or go back to the The Judybats tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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