Danger Bob - "Girls of the Big 12"

Album review by Chris Wagner

The third and final installment of Danger Bob's rock opera trilogy, Girls of the Big 12, finds the Lawrence, Kansas group trying on some new hats without straying too far from their comedy-punk past. Pop hooks, liberal doses of overblown rock cliché, and classic rawk quotes carry the thread of their previous efforts, while the newer material reflects some of the leaps the band takes with their latest tales of lost love, lost lust, and John Hughes.

For their latest effort, Danger Bob selected relative newcomer Jason Hall to assume the production and engineering mantles, marking a detour from their long-standing relationship with Ed Rose of Red House Recording fame. Bringing in new blood seems to have given birth to some fairly ambitious experimentation, perhaps fueled by being able to record at their own pace in the friendly confines of Grant Fitch's home studio, "Sophia's Place". As one might expect, the risk in this approach is that it usually creates as many misses as it does hits. The good news: in the case of Girls…, the result is a success ratio which attests to the strength of these songs.

A prime example of this exploration is "Rubber Twice", which may prove to be the first DB song "bumped" out of the back of a low-rider on Massachusetts Street, while also providing perhaps one of the most disgusting metaphors for those certain special feelings of familiarity that I've ever heard ("the same rubber twice?" Hmmm...). The David Lee Roth endtro rip-off is also a very nice touch.

"Church 'Em Danno" provides additional proof that they're not playing it safe- after all, running the entire mix through a Big Muff pedal doesn't exactly spell subtlety. A+ for the balls to do it though- the end result out-garages most bands who try to claim that title.

Other highlights include "Biltmore" with its straight-ahead pop chorus, toy piano, close harmonies, and a bridge and guitar solo that… well, I can't tell which one Andy Morton borrowed from more: Andy Summers or James Honeyman-Scott. At any rate, it's a perfect fit.

In "Lost 'Er Way" the sensitive side of Danger Bob comes forth. It documents the search for that one and only someone, with all the detours and dead ends it entails. One of the "sweeter" songs on this record, which is almost spoiled by the "Spirit of Radio" endtro. Almost all rock musicians come out of the Rush closet and some point or another- but on record?

"Ducky's Theme" reminds me of the best tux I never wore to prom. If you can't look like James Bond, you can at least channel The Duck and act like him, just like the title says. This song provides the perfect background for you to moon over Andie to… wait- Andy? Suddenly it's becoming clearer.

As for "Cranberry Moira"- I don't know why I think Moira Kelly's hot- I just do. Now someone has finally validated my dark secret. I'm not sure, but I think the message is either: watch what you admit when you're drunk, or don't try to hit on a girl unless you're drunk. The amazing opening riff is enough for me to like this song.

Of course, even the DB will miss the target now and then. The liner notes set "Only in Your Mind" up as an emo-rocker, but the intro impressed me as more Goth than anything else; that is, until the high "Paul Simon" singing. For better or worse, it lacks the cloying hypersincerity that characterizes most "real" emo, and eventually overstays its welcome through excessive repetition. Whether as parody (probably) or serious attempt (unlikely), it ultimately fails in that it misses the final target.

It helps that this is one of the few local bands that values their lyrics enough to sing them clearly; the subjects of Danger Bob's songs are the heart and soul behind their music. Maybe I should have studied harder; any running jokes will be lost on me without reference copies of Le Pop Shoppe and Mega Vega$. In spite of my handicap, Girls delivers the complete package, even for the neophyte listener, right up to the end. One last note: what's with the fucking blooper at the end? I'd say leave it to Smokey and the Bandit IV, but I think Dom Deluise is dead, so too late.

--Chris Wagner

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