REVIEW: Dishwalla, And You Think You Know What Life's About (A&M)
- Joann D. Ball
What becomes of the band with the smash single the next time around? That's what everyone is asking in reference to Dishwalla, who recently released And You Think You Know What Life's About . Of course, this record is the much-anticipated follow-up to 1995's Gold album Pet Your Friends. And yes, that album was the one which spawned the smash hit "Counting Blue Cars," one of the most frequently played songs of 1996. In fact the song got so much airplay that it won that year's Billboard Rock Song of the Year award.
Santa Barbara, California's favorite sons Dishwalla are back, eager to prove that they can rise above the dreaded sophomore slump and that they can produce an album's worth of tunes as good or better than that old hit single. As to be expected, some major changes have taken place since the last outing. Most notable is the mature and introspective subject matter explored on And You Think You Know What Life's About. And that's not a coincidence since the record is largely a response to the band's eye-opening experiences on the road promoting the breakthrough record. The extensive touring and countless live shows also influenced Dishwalla's overall sound as this effort is fuller and has an unexpected edgy toughness. Both of these improvements are effective and brilliantly captures the band's passionate modern rock approach.
And You Think You Know What Life's About begins with the rousing "Stay Awake." With a bit of a nod to Lenny Kravitz, this track about insomnia is supercharged with big chunky guitars over a funky beat . The industrial/techno effects on this track are an unexpected but welcome surprise, and the song stands out from the guitar-based, straight ahead rock stylings found on other tracks. More typical of the band is "Once in a While," the record's second track and lead single, which has all of the ingredients that made "Counting Blue Cars" such a memorable song. Another variation on the winning formula is "Until I Wake Up", one of the best power ballads delivered in the last few years. The song's rise and fall structure provides the perfect balance between the soft sweetness of acoustic guitar and keyboards and the surge of sweeping power chords. The quieter, mellow approach is explored more fully on "The Bridge Song" which suggests that the band could also pursue this direction successfully.
One of the most striking things about the twelve songs on And You Think You Know What Life's About is the emotion conveyed by lead vocalist J.R. Richards. Richards has a very good voice that is further enhanced by the band's big, rich and powerful sound. To his credit he at times recalls the best vocal work of U2's Bono. And similarly, Richards succeeds in capturing the listener's attention and making the songs come alive.
With And You Think You Know What Life's About, Dishwalla stands out as a rock band that combines infectious guitar hooks, haunting melodies and intelligent lyrics. The new edgier sound successfully lifts the band out of the one-hit wonder category and hints at the likelihood of longevity. That is, as long as the band avoids the trap of relying on power guitars and heavy handedness to attract attention. Here's hoping that throwing in a cover/sample of AC/DC's "Back in Black" in the middle of "Counting Blue Cars" during a recent Southern California live performance was reflective of the band's musical appreciation and not a sign of things to come.
