Still Surviving on the Street, 4 Out of 5 Stars
Back in 1985/86, Slash Records seemed to be on the brink of starting a whole new American Breed of Rockers. They had new albums and new bands from Los Lobos to The Blasters to The Bodeans. They all got sort of lumped into the 'new wave' category, but there was something more going on here. "Love and Hope and Sex and Dreams" was one of the best embodiments of this group of bands, and reissue, almost 25 years after the fact, shows why.
Back in 1985/86, Slash Records seemed to be on the brink of starting a whole new American Breed of Rockers. They had new albums and new bands from Los Lobos to The Blasters to The Bodeans. They all got sort of lumped into the 'new wave' category, but there was something more going on here. "Love and Hope and Sex and Dreams" was one of the best embodiments of this group of bands, and reissue, almost 25 years after the fact, shows why.
The Bodeans were young and enthusiastic kids who wanted to make their own sound. Being from Wisconsin, they has no burning desire to be trendy or fashionable, just to make music that felt like escape to them. With the first thrilling notes of "She's A Runaway" and the rocking theme of breakout the song offers, it's an instant classic that should have slotted in comfortably next to the Springsteen or Mellencamp hits of the day. T-Bone Burnette heard the truth inside the songs and the vocal magic Kurt Neumann and Sam Llanas made, and hauled them away to Los Angeles to make this album.
"Love and Hope and Sex and Dreams" is a missing link of an album, the chain the runs between The Everly Brothers and The Rolling Stones (from whom the album nicked its title). The remaster sounds incredible. The BoDeans were still fresh and excited, with T-Bone at the top of his early production game. "Rickshaw Riding" has sudden space in its slowbreathing sound. "Looking for Me Somewhere" sounds like Johnny Cash passed on it to hand it over to these youngsters. And the bonus track "Turn Your Radio On" makes you wonder why this Chuck Berry-ish rocker got left behind.
The there's the DVD, a homecoming of sorts with a live Minneapolis concert from 1985. Again, there's this brash enthusiasm that only a hungry young band could muster, and it's great fun to watch. It's east to see why (if you believe Kurt's liner notes) the T-Bone urged the suits at Warners to sign The Bodeans because "they're gonna be bigger than The Beatles." It includes songs that never made it to the studio albums done in front of a hometown audience, excited that their local heroes just might be the next big thing. "Love and Hope and Sex and Dreams" captures that desire, and this re-issue - from the good folks at Rhino - makes you scratch your head as to why it didn't happen.
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