The dB’s “Like This”

sfilzen — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 13:09:08 +0000

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.”

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The db’s “Like This”

sfilzen — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 17:17:12 +0000

The db’s “Like This” released Sept. 12, 1984. Bearsville Records. Jangly power pop/alternative of the early 80′s style. This album follows the departure of bassist and founding member Chris Stamey (who played bass with Alex Chilton in the late 70′s). It also marks one of the last albums released on the Bearsville Records label before it folded in ‘84.

“Like This” has a roots-rock flavor, tons and tons of sweet melodies backed with power jangled guitar. My favorite tracks are “Love is For Lovers” and “Lonely Is as Lonely Does” (which I think would have been very much at home on a John Hughes movie soundtrack).

Run-off groove etchings: Side A “She was like this….” and Side B “…and like this”

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The dB’s “Like This”

The db’s “Like This”