Search - the Bats :: The Guilty Office

Another Gem From The Bats

Mike S. | Long Island | 12/21/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Whenever a new Bats album comes around, I'm initially hesitant to listen to it as I'm afraid that it won't be as great as Daddy's Highway from 20+ years ago was/is, but I should know better and realize that Robert Scott and company won't disappoint. The Guilty Office (a strange name if I say so myself, but also the title of a beautiful, haunting song near the end of the album) is no exception as The Bats deliver another winner. As always, in my opinion, the first few songs are the strongest, but even as deep as track #8 (Later On That Night, which is a doppelganger to Luna's song Lovedust), the title song and the last song, The Orchard, the songs are still strong. The interplay between Robert Scott's and Kaye Woodward's vocals & guitars are still great. The rhythm section of Paul Kean & Malcolm Grant is as solid as ever. Whenever I try to describe The Bats to folks here in the U.S. who inexplicably still haven't heard of them after 3 decades of making great music, I draw a blank as The Bats sound like ... The Bats. If I had to compare them to others, I'd guess I'd say that they sound like Fleetwood Mac (with deeper vocals) mixed in with touches of Neil Young and Yo La Tengo with some strings added. Which is a mighty great combo.



If you're an old Bats fan, this won't disappoint. If you're new to The Bats, this is as good a place as any to start. Maybe if enough folks get the new CD we can get a rare U.S. tour from The Bats as I think it's been almost 4 years since their last visit, with the one before that more than 10 years earlier!!"