The dB’s “Like This” released 35 years ago today, September 12th, 1984. Bearsville Records. Jangly power pop in the vein of Alex Chilton (who founder/bassist Chris Stamey performed with in the late 70′s; Stamey departed the dB’s just prior to Like This) and R.E.M. Though The dB’s pre-date R.E.M. by a bit (1978 vs. 1980) there is a southern connection – The dB’s are from North Carolina, R.E.M. from Georgia and dB’s guitarist Peter Holsapple sat in with R.E.M. in the late 80′s and early 90′s. I suspect he may be partially responsible for the predominance of mandolin on R.E.M.’s recordings as he also plays mandolin on Like This. (I’m not anti-mandolin but R.E.M. got a bit mandolin-heavy there for awhile.) Like This was The dB’s third album and includes a revamp of the stomping, somewhat quirky single “Amplifier” which originally appeared on Repercussion from ‘82. It’s a pretty good track, and I also like Elvis Costello-ish  “Love is For Lovers,” the rocker “Rendezvous” and the beautiful “Lonely Is (As Lonely Does)” which Allmusic raves is “their most beautiful song to date.”