The dB's

While the latter-day dB's releases -- the ones released after Chris Stamey left the group -- were all good, sometimes great, jangly power pop, it was the early Stamey/Holsapple years that made them truly memorable. Neverland is a two-fer that collects the entirety of the first two dB's albums, Stands for Decibels and Repercussion, onto a single disc along with one bonus track each. The quality of the Stamey/Holsapple dynamic is spelled out here: Peter Holsapple's more straight-ahead pop gems alternate with the paranoid, quirky Stamey tracks and, while the differences can be difficult to digest at first, the undeniable hookiness in all the material makes this accessible even to non-fans. In the 18 years between the original issue of these albums and this reissue, the music has barely aged: "Amplifier" sounds as radio-ready as ever, and Stamey's Beach Boys-esque pastiche, "She's Not Worried," still sounds current. The two bonus tracks -- "Baby Talk" and "Soul Kiss" -- are a bit more chaotic than the albums themselves, but are fitting additions nonetheless. The music of the dB's was never really in or out of style, but the fractured, spontaneous brand of pop on their first two albums has proven to be the blueprint for many to follow. Although available only as a German import, the collection is budget-priced, putting this great music at the fingertips of fans. ~ Jason Damas, All Music Guide