Search - Bare Jr. :: Brainwasher

An amazing countrified rock & roll release

wellwellwell | bog | 03/11/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Even after Bare Jr.'s respectable but unnoticed Boo-Tay, they're still able to produce an excellent country/rock album. I have a hard time saying Brainwasher is better than their debut, but it still deserves 5 stars. Every song is another pleasurable way to look at relationships; as Bobby Bare Jr. correctly cites the CD as '...more songs about girls that don't like me'. I also have a hard time understanding how people have not heard of this band. It's either due to the fact that people are into sentimental tacky [material] or they can't handle the genre twists Bare Jr.'s music offers. Again, this album is very similar to Boo-Tay, yet it has a more rounded theme. Even the artwork takes shape. The back cover is set up like a movie and the booklet takes you through the legend of Ike Tyson (go figure). There is nothing cliche about this CD nor is there anything bad about it. Here now is an overview of the 14 new classics.The disc starts with 'Overture [love them from Brainwasher]'. 'Overture' is an instrumental masterpiece, and is just over a minute long. By dubbing it a love theme, the CD starts with a bit of sarcasm; since most of the songs are not love songs at all. The title track from Brainwasher may be the best song on the album. The shooby-doobys and whop whop whops really add to the song's inelegance. Yet the true lyrics are excellent and the music is as quick and energetic as Boo-Tay was. And to anyone who's ever fought with another guy over a girl, you'll love 'If You Choose Me'. The name speaks for itself, as the lyrics take you through a series of options to get a girl to choose you (i.e. '...I'll write a poem about your smile / I'll buy you hats cause I dig your style / I'll tell all my buddies how good you kiss''). There's about a million things the song covers; all of which are funny and intelligent simultaneously. Between the first two hits it's hard to pick a favorite. 'If You Choose Me' has better lyrics, whereas 'Brainwasher' has a more rockin' melody. The song 'Why Do I Need A Job' is another exceptional track. One that is easily one of my favorites. It's an entertaining song that'll take all the ambition right out of you (if there was any there in the first place). Anti-aspirations and good lyrics make it what it is. 'Your cousin Cindy touched me once / I did not stop it so it carried on' is how 'You Never Knew (I Lied)' starts. I've never cheated on my girlfriend, but if you have the song may touch you down deep. Being that the first couple of songs were rather fast-paced, 'Shine' is a definite tempo-changer for the CD. Its slowed melody and haunting lyrics really make it the hidden gem of the album. 'God' is another awesome track that is unlike any other Bare Jr. song. The line 'god don't even know my name' is something most people have thought to themselves a few times. Bare Jr. just wrote a song about it. Another overlooked song on Brainwasher is 'Miss You The Most'. It is a very short song, yet it lacks nothing; the lyrics and music flow together beautifully. It's one of my favorites, yet it probably won't go down as one of the band's best. 'Kiss Me (Or I Will Cry)' is a noteworthy change from 'M.Y.T.M.'. It's another 2-minute song; and again it lacks nothing at all. Good lyrics, good music--it's all there. Jr. makes it seem like they used the thesaurus to start, using the awkward word belligerent. It's a fun song and I think we can all relate. The next song, 'Dog' (not to be confused with #7, 'God') is a great look at being treated bad in a relationship. The basis of the song comes from: 'I wish I was your dog / cause you treat him better'. I won't spoil the rest for you. By this point (up to 10 songs), we have yet to have a bad song. But if there is a low point of the CD, it's 'Limpin''. It's not at all a bad song, but the lyrics are almost too weird for comfort. Even so, track 12, 'Devil Doll', is a heroic change from 'Limpin''. The lyrics are actually quite amazing; maybe some of the best Jr. has written. The music does seem enticing and the ending guitar solos are wonderful. It ends abruptly, but that doesn't matter. The next song (which is untitled and not listed) is a female-led outro to 'Miss You The Most', and only about 25 seconds. It's essentially useless, yet it's so short it won't even phase you. The final song is short, but gives the impression it's an added bonus. It's titled 'Gasoline Listerine' and features some exceedingly good lyrics. The first stanza (of only two) is: 'the skeletons hid in my closet have more fun than me / I am boring and useless / my skeletons are fabulously unique'. Although short and although musically challenged, the song is, in essence, fabulous. In conclusion, this countrified rock album is one that should not be disregarded among music fans. Brainwasher is, to a large extent, equal in all aspects with Boo-Tay. Its mix of hard rock, country and loving defiance make it one of the best CDs in my collection. If you haven't heard of Bare Jr., are worried about this in comparison to Boo-Tay, or just stumbled upon this somehow; don't disregard it. It is an excellent recording from a stellar first-rate group. Bobby Bare Jr. & co. put great emotion into their music; in which I'm sure they take great pride. From the instrumental opener to the memorable 'Gasoline Listerine' to rockin' songs like 'Brainwasher', you will surely be impressed. Trust me and buy this extraordinary album. It won't let you down."