Hailing
from North Carolina and based in New York City, the dB’s are a great pop band
that unfortunately never broke through to the mainstream. The dB’s drew inspiration
from prime power-pop acts of the 1970s such as Big Star and the Flamin’
Groovies, and released two landmark records in the early 1980s that paved the
way to the rise of jangle pop, a musical style later popularized by R.E.M.
While the debut record Stands for
Decibels already hints at the dB’s’ knack for playing catchy tunes, their
sophomore effort Repercussion
constitutes a true treasure trove containing several pop gems. The record kicks
off with “Happenstance”, a song that addresses the troubles of emancipation in
the face of the possibility of a love affair. ‘’Living a Lie” deals with the
dissatisfaction one experiences when building on an illusion, and displays a
very suitable brass section and backing vocals that work like a charm. “Ask for
Jill” tells a tale about the pains of a quest for said Jill, while “Neverland”
includes a very addictive guitar riff that provides the song with a distinctive
signature. In “Amplifier”, the story of a suicide is told in a most
entertaining manner, where a bluesy piano line concludes the song in high spirits.
Have a look at the videoclip for “Amplifier”, which was regretfully turned down
by MTV and may have hindered the dB’s from reaching a wider audience:
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