As I stated in my previous review, The Ditty Bops eponymous debut album completely dominated 2005 for me. And as also stated I saw two Bops shows that year, the first opening for Tegan and Sara on March 10th (
mini review) and again on June 25th (
mini review). At each of those shows, I heard songs that weren't from the debut album. Both were very good, entertaining shows by an indie group I'd become completely spun out on, small but fun and musically rewarding nights at the famed Crocodile Cafe in Seattle. Little did I know at the time at these two events that 1. some of those songs I hadn't previously heard prior to those shows would become part of their 2006 follow-up, Moon Over The Freeway, and 2. when it came to Ditty Bops concerts, I hadn't seen ANYTHING yet.
Before I discuss the album, I want to take a moment (ok, a megamoment) to talk about that 2006 U.S. tour, as far as I know one that is utterly unique in modern music history. That is not hyperbole*. If this type of tour has ever been done, on this scale, before or since, I haven't heard about it
(*And if there's one thing I do love, it's hyperbole. In fact I enjoy hyperbole eleventy-nine quadrabazillion times more than every man, woman, and child that has ever been born, or ever *will* be born,
combined. Times Four. Billion. Cubed.)
They started in their home neighborhood in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles, went north to the SF Bay area, points in between, then headed east over the Sierras, through the desert southwest, across the Rockies, through Texas, The Great Plains, through Appalachia and finally NYC......
On BICYCLES.
That's right. Their crew drove vans carrying their stage gear, but the ladies pedaled approx. 4700 miles across the country.
http://thedittybopsbiketour.blogspot.com/
Then, from there they flew to Seattle and played a show, the only reason I didn't go is 1. I was still a slave at Radio Shack and couldn't go, 2. I'd taken my vacation starting the following day and had tickets to see them with friends and family at the Aladdin Theater in Portland two nights later. In any case, they then pedaled the approx. 200 miles to the Portland show.
As good as the previous shows were, they were simply entertaining small shows. I absolutely did NOT expect the full-on headline-act-force-to-be-reckoned-with event that I, my friends and family, and my trusted mini-DV camcorder saw that night. Including an opening act (Datri Bean) that had me so floored that I almost broke my neck RUNNING to the merch table after the opening set to buy her CD. I will post one of the songs from MOTF I recorded and uploaded to YouTube in the main body of the review, but there is one unbelievably charming song I posted on my channel that isn't on any album, so I will post it here
So after my amazed camera ran out of tape as the last song ended two hours after the first had began (the previous shows were both under 50 minutes) I went up to the stage where Amanda was talking to some fans. I had DVD's for her and Abby that I'd made from the 6/25/05 show, and I wanted to get them to her. She thanked me and as always was totally nice and gracious....but to my utter shock I also noticed that, having just put on this incredible show, she was *sick* and I mean snarfling, sneezing, coughing. And I found out that Abby was even sicker. These women are super heroes in my eyes.
That was posted as an explanation as to why they wouldn't be able to ride the 120 miles from Portland to Eugene.
SO.....the album, Moon Over The Freeway. I didn't think it would be possible but it's EVEN BETTER that their magnificent 1st album. And then some.
When I got this CD in the mail and put it in my CD player, I pumped my fist in the air in joyous celebration. The title track that opens the album was one of my favorite songs on the 6/25/05 DVD I'd made! (the song is playing in the Bicycle Tour video I posted above).
Then comes "Angel With An Attitude". I absolutely love this song, but there's no YouTube that I deemed good enough to post here or I absolutely PROMISE you I would have. AWAA is about as rowdy as the Bops get, IMO.
"Fall Awake" is one of the best of the Abby penned soft/quiet songs. It was wonderful on the Portland '06 DVD. It also is the perfect song to follow the raucous "Angel/Attitude"
In an album full of all-time favorite Bops songs, track 4, "Aluminium Can" may be my favorite of all.
The next track was actually something I'd heard about the year prior (2005) from a good friend in Indianapolis. He had attended a Bops show there, and evidently there was some gynophobic bellowing heckling lout in the audience. Abby pointed the guy out, said "This is for you!" and then, as my friend had told the story, the ladies just cut this pathetic loudmouth to fecking ribbons. He (my friend) was amazed. Turns out the heckler had been served with "Fish To Fry". I recognized it as the song my friend had described instantly.
Nothing, at all, lets up with "In The Meantime".
Then, it's time for Abby's waltz, and like the previous album it's the down moment of MOTF and like the previous album, "It's A Shame" is wonderful, an even prettier waltz than "Four Left Feet" from the first album.
Then, back into the world of amazing and wonderful, "Waking Up In City" is a comic view of a world polluted beyond recognition.
Crimony this is a great album.
"Falling Upside Down" is a lovely Amanda song, her voice is simply gorgeous throughout, but especially in the chorus.
"Get Up And Go" even challenges "Angel With An Attidude" in the raucous department.
By this time when MOTF received it's first play on my system I was simply astounded. The album that had utterly dominated the previous year had been one-upped in a scale I'd never even imagined possible.
Then, a cover of the Everly Brothers (actually written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant) "Bye Bye Love". OK, forget what I said about "It's A Shame", this is the down moment of MOTF but it's still wonderful, whimsical, and flawlessly performed.
"Nosy Neighbor" is yet ANOTHER brilliant song, about someone who gets too deep into the dark behind-closed-doors goings-on of a small southern town
Then, maybe the most razor-witted biting-sarcasm-with-a-pretty-smile song I've ever heard closes this magnificent album
(truly magical performance of this
here by your humble reviewer)
As great as every Ditty Bops album is, Moon Over The Freeway is their masterpiece
Next review: Pack Rat (EP, 2007)