Some good tracks.
06/21/2001
(3 out of 5 stars)
"First Under the Wire reached number 8 on the Billboard charts and was LRBs highest selling US album,but not their best effort.It does have some very good tracks,like the Grammy nominated "Lonesome Loser,Cool Change"and the Beeb Birtles track "By My Side",but "Mistress of Mine" will not go down as their best vocal effort.Still,a good album from the band."
Solid work from a solid band!
Chandler Bryan | SC, USA | 07/26/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"'First Under the Wire' is a very consistent and pleasing record. Assuming you like the LRB sound (I do, very much -- but they inspire loathing in some, a mystery to me unless those people hate melody, killer harmonies, and strong songwriting). I find it to be essentially a reworking of their previous album 'Sleepercatcher', with lots of 'matching' tracks. Cool Change=Sanity's Side, The Rumor=Shut Down Turn Off, Middle Man=Light of Day etc. That's not a problem for me though, because I love Sleepercatcher. I have to take issue with the reviewer who panned Mistress Of Mine, though... I think it's one of Glenn Shorrock's finest moments.
Definitely one of LRB's high points."