#judybats

[harmcityherald]

Judybats "Pain Makes You Beautiful" live

[shoesandsocks]

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Heiskell. Hi Jeff, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers

"My Dead Friend" came across the shuffle just now and I thought it's been a while since I googled Jeff Heiskell.

Look who's joined the Real Estate Rockers!

[shoesandsocks]

The Time Machine opens with "Don't Drop the Baby," and it makes me wonder if our other #OPOT Judybats fan is gone for good?

[sdca68]

Enjoy The Judybats

[shoesandsocks]

a smart person on a podcast just pronounced it ‘CASH-it.’

[thedirge]

Native Son: A Case for the Most Overlooked Gem of 90s Alt Rock

I have no idea what kind of otherworldly, titanic forces collided to birthe Native Son, the debut album by The Judybats and one of the most oft-overlooked alternative rock albums from the 90s — and that’s ok with me. Like a capable magician’s trick, sometimes the machinations behind great spectacles are better left a mystery. Seeing as how the songs from this 1991 sleeper have been a staple of my playlist for about 20 years, though, maybe it’s time I figured out exactly why.

There’s a few reasons The Judybats’ debut album works so outstandingly: Veteran songwriter/producer and Sire Records co-founder Richard Gottehrer — who wrote hits for everyone from The Angels to Blondie — was one of the masterminds behind it, and he probably had a hand in crafting the band’s catchy, poppy songs.

Lyrically, Native Son is a delightful paradox at times: this can be a dark album, despite its often upbeat, eclectic sound. “Woman in the Garden” is a sobering peek into the world of domestic violence; “Daylight” tells the story of a girl that vanishes, perhaps both literally and figuratively, from existence; “In Like With You” touches on the uncertainty and fragility of love. “Perfumed Lies” almost seems like a sunny disposition on deception, and “Counting Sheep” is a proggy, poppy masterpiece. If there’s one dud, it’s the misguided title track, which just seems boring and flat alongside the rest of the album. It’s a small price to pay in the scope of things.  

But the reason Native Son works so well may most have to do with the sheer overwhelming bravado of the musicians involved. Here’s a sextet that could get away with playing Yes-scope material but instead writes quick, poppy, infectious singles, and it works beautifully -- from the folk sensibilities of dynamos like Peggy Birmingham on violin and keyboards to Jeff Heiskell’s tender vocal stylings. Native Son is an album that could have gone off the rails in a convoluted and pretentious direction, but its masterminds were too focused on making music for everyone. 

[90s-rock-tracks]

90′s Rock Track of the Day

“Being Simple” - Judybats (1993)

[shoesandsocks]

I’ve been tagged multiple times, so here’s my Q&D notes on that poll that’s going around.