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Lovely Creatures

Bob Schneider - Lovely Creatures Audio CD

A fair review of the Bob Schneider "Lovely Creatures" 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 Bob Schneider reviews here, or go back to the Bob Schneider tabs.

Band: Bob Schneider
Title: Lovely Creatures
Rating:

Release Date: 2009-09-29
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Trash 2: Realness of Space 3: 40 Dogs (Like Romeo and Juliet) 4: Till Somebody Catches a Feeling 5: Changing Your Mind 6: Bringdown 7: Slower Dear 8: Everybody's Doing It 9: Bombanaza 10: Your Head Holds Gold, Your Heart Holds Diamonds 11: Tarantula 12: Bicycle vs. Car

Bob
He has definitely made some production improvements to songs in the studio, which put this CD somewhere closer to the realm of Lonelyland and I'm Good Now territory. This is a stronger release than the last couple less formal releases from Bob (these were good too, with a different recording feel). I was glad to see that he put Tarantula and Bombonanza on a studio recording. They are still best experienced live, but he captured the essence of those songs well enough to put on a studio CD. If you're a Bob fan you can't go wrong and probably already bought this. If you are new to Bob you might start with Lonelyland and go from there. .

These songs are stuck in my head they're so great!
BUY IT!! But I warn you, I listen to it every day driving to work, and the songs are all SO GREAT, especially "Tarantula" that they're stuck in my head and roll around my brain all day. Bob Schneider is an Austin TX living treasure, and his new album is his best ever. But that makes me happy!! Go BUY THIS, and if Bob Schneider comes within 200 miles of your house for a concert, I suggest you move heaven and earth to go listen to him!! .

LOVELY, Indeed!!!

A six month delay of TARANTULA ~ now re-christened as LOVELY CREATURES ~ was not a good sign. Having absolutely loved 2006's THE CALIFORNIAN, while cringing through most of last year's WHEN THE SUN BREAKS DOWN ON THE MOON, I was VERY interested to see what Bob Schneider would do next. And I'll be honest. . . upon my first listen, I was less than impressed; it was almost as if Schneider was trying too hard, like he was over compensating for the lack of melody on WHEN. . . by going the other way, but to an extreme. It just seemed overly light and fluffy.
However, after one or two more listens, I realized that LOVELY CREATURES is one of those discs that takes a few listens for the nuances to settle in and the surprises to rise to the top. And trust me, they're worth sticking around for!
The disc opens with the charming sway of "Trash. " Schneider's lead vocal is easy-going and relaxed, while the arrangement is light and crisp (but solid). All of this only slightly masks the stinging lyrics ("I always fall for 'I love you'/The crack of the whip/The sting of the lash"). A nice way to kick things off!
Ditto "Realness Of Space. " How can you NOT love a song with the opening lines "I want some eyebrows/Bushy and big/And full of bear fur/Sitting right on my face?" This kind of humor lifts the track as it lopes along, causing hips to shake and putting smiles on faces. I mean, who DOESN'T want "the Jackson's" and "the Osmond's from 1973?!?"
The opening chords of "40 Dogs (Like Romeo And Juliet)" remind me so much of the opening riff of Pink's "Who Knew" that every time I hear the song I think "God, this would be a great cover for her!" There's a casual tunefulness to the melody, and the lyrics just dance ("You're the color of the color part of the Wizard of Oz movie". . . I mean, C'MON!). An absolute joy that deserves to be a hit!
The same kind of tunefulness also completely embraces "Till Somebody Catches A Feeling", albeit slower, steadier and more propulsively. Shimmering piano is melded with a solid backbeat, while the lead vocal just chugs along. Totally infectious, the only negative thing I can say about the track is that, at barely two minutes, it's WAY too short!!
I wasn't all that thrilled to see a re-recording of "Changing Your Mind", the first of two songs previously heard on WHEN THE SUN. . . . , but it's somber arrangement and Daniel Levin's atmospheric cello really adds another dimension to the album. Ditto Patty Griffin's lovely harmony vocals. And then there's the lines about a werewolf, the rain and a beer. . . ! Classic!
We take another 180 degree turn with "The Bringdown. " This sexy, soulful vibe could have easily fit on a Boz Scaggs or Steve Miller album in the '70's, but it still 100% Bob Schneider. Keyboards, guitar, drums. . . it all comes together here in a totally hypnotic melding of musical moments. Very low key, but definitely one of LC's high points!
"Slower Dear" is the second remake from WTSBDOTM, and it works even better than "Changing Your Mind. " The slow, sultry latin-tinged arrangement is mesmerizing (love the mournful trumpet!), brilliantly offset by clever lyrics ("In the meadow/The tiger spots the gray gazelle/And the next thing you know/Everything goes to hell"). A smart love song with a clever punch!
"Everybody's Doing It" was one of the songs I initially thought was a little light weight, but now I love it for it's sheer poetry - "I went outside into the rain/That's where I saw you standing there/Butterflies and tigers in your hair" - simple, yet lilting, arrangement and comfortable lead vocal. On most artists, this song would sound lazy. . . from Schneider, it's just effortless.
Toying with something way out of your comfort zone ~ say, Latin mambo rhythms! ~ can be REALLY dangerous. . . it can often come across as forced and fake, or, worse yet, phony and an inside joke. But with "Bombanaza" Schneider TOTALLY pulls it off! The groove is there, the emotion is there, and the passion is there. All hip-sway and butt-shake, Gloria Estefan would be proud!
I discovered Bob Schneider as "Bullets" played during the closing credits of "Miss Congeniality". . . I LOVED it! "Your Head Holds Gold. Your Heart Holds Diamonds" has that same goofy charm. The rapid fire arrangement, the quasi-scattingesque lead vocal and the silly/fun/clever lyrics all add up to a signature sound that is completely Schneider's, and one that's still a joy to behold. Once again. . . love it!
"Tarantula" has the same Latin grooves as "Bombanaza", and while it doesn't seem as fresh or original (coming so soon after the earlier cut), it's still a fun listen. You can almost see and hear Ricky Ricardo. . . O. K. , Xavier Cugat!. . playing this in the '50's. Sly, sexy, smooth. . . this shouldn't work, but it does (kudos to the brilliant percussive grooves!).
Things wrap up with the wistful "Bicycle Vs. Car. " Schneider lays down a heartfelt lead vocal over a gently rocking mid-tempo track. Throw some thoughtful lyrics into the mix ("Head vs. heart/Equals bicycle vs. a car", "It's not the end of everything/It's just the end/Of everything you know") and you have an absolute gem. This is known as going out with a bang!
So where does Bob Schneider go from here? Well, as much as I think he'd hate to admit it, he's developed into a master class songsmith, one of the smartest voices in pop music today. LOVELY CREATURES proves that's nothing to be ashamed of!
(As with all my reviews, I'm docking the disc half a star for not including the lyrics. What's the point of including a CD booklet if you're not including the lyrics, PARTICULARLY with a singer/songwriter like Schneider?). .

This Album Will Make Him Famous And He Should Be
I had never even heard of Bob until October, 2009. . and then I hear this extraordinary song "40 Dogs" on the radio, which is not even the best song on the album ("Changing Your Mind" takes that prize). I immediately bought the album and was blown away. . . . there are at least 7 GREAT songs on this album. . . . part Cold Play, part David Gray, part Jack Johnson, part Zac Brown. . . what more do you need to know? Normally, you would expect an awkward voice or something holding back a person with this type of melodic and songwriting talent. This album will make him famous. . . . if not there is a conspiracy in America. This album is better than 99% of what you are listening to and will become one of your all-time favorites. There are only two songs that you may not like. I have no reason to say this except for the fact that talent must be recognized. . . this is the American way! When I listened to this album several times, I had the same thought about "White Ladder" by David Gray. . . . this is simply melodic genius. . . . and why do so few people know about it? I just ordered two of his prior albums. Do the right thing and tell everyone you know about this album and then ask them to tell the world what they think about this album. If I'm wrong, I will never post again on Amazon.

Bob Schneider rocks

His albums are a great mix of styles, from Paul Simon to Tom Waits with rap in the middle, all done with quality, great sense of humor and hilarious lyrics. I have seen Bob pretty much every time he comes to San Diego and I love his shows.

If you like this album, be sure to check Lonelyland.
Bob also has several albums with his other groups (The Scabs and The Ugly Americans) which are awesome.

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