Since 1983, when the Bobs, the original "band without instruments" put out their first, self-titled album, we started our own love affair with this talented, funny, edgy, envelope-pushing group. Matthew Bob Stull, Dan Bob Schumacher, Richard Bob Greene and newest member Angie Bob Doctor, local Harmony Sweeps favorite performer and host, have come up with the goods for 30 years of recording and performing, and now have taken a long-overdue item off their bucket list, "the concept album." "Biographies" is an album about historical figures, both famous and not-particularly-famous, and the group that has been described as "Manhattan Transfer meets Monty Python" nails it! A few of our favorite song titles will give you a taste: "Andy (TV comic Andy Kaufman) Always Dreamed of Wrestling," Lord Buckley explains the life of Jesus on "The Nazz," "The Homey Rumours" takes on the "great one" Jackie Gleason, "Clarence Birdseye Flash Frozen Food" speaks for itself, as does "Fidel's (Castro) Fashion Manifesto," "Julia's Too Tall" is a delicious take on the life of Julia Child; "Lorenzo da Ponte" (Mozart's librettist) will make you forget the movie's Antonio Solieri; "Tesla, Tesla 1,2,3" (a forgotten Bay Area genius now totally in and hot); "Johnny Ramone" (Punk pioneer and guitarist for the Ramones) and finally, "Shut Up and Sing," the autobiography of the Bobs. No surprise to us, this collection is funny, intelligent, ironic and cutting-edge from beginning to end. Don't miss "Biographies," another winner from one of our all-time favorite mixed-voice a cappella quartets! |
