Susquehanna
The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies have been mixing their own rock rhythm for over 20 years now. Though they have been described as an American rock group, the band members say that their goal from the beginning has been to mix punk rock music with jazz to create a sort of eclecticism.
The group first started at the University of Oregon by singer/songwriter Steve Perry in 1988. Though Perry experimented in a variety of bands, it wasn’t until the grunge and alternative movement got going that he realized his passion was to fuse this movement with more genre bending and experimental music.
The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies have experienced many changes in band member throughout their existence, but Perry, Dana Heitman, and Dan Schmid are the three that still remain today from the original band. In the late 80’s, the band acquired a sort of cult following and became known for their often controversial performances.
Their album, “Suquehanna,” was released in 2008. This comes after the band’s regrouping which occurred in 2002. The band had experienced a bit of a loss of interest when trends began to focus more on pop music. However, after they enjoyed success in 2006 with their album “Zoot Suit Riot” and getting their music on such shows as So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars, this helped them get back into the swing of things and get working on a new album which became “Susquehanna.”
The album was first released on the band’s website in February 2008. “Susquehanna” certainly stays true to the jazz ideals of the band. Though it seems to stress a more loose care free attitude rather than a modern day definition of rock, there’s no doubt that the songs are very upbeat and easy to enjoy.
The album’s strong point seems to be its instrumental aspects to the songs rather than the vocals. The background instruments seem to be the key that sets the band apart from others of their style. The vocals bring back memories of classic crooners, but at times they suggest something a bit outdated.
In my opinion, one of the best songs on the album would have to be “Hi and Lo.” It captures the ups and downs of the singer’s life and his determination to turn even bad situations into something beneficial. “I’ve been high but mostly low” captures his struggle, but the song is still very upbeat, suggesting a light-heartedness despite setbacks. I think this song is something that a lot of people can identify with.
“The Good Things” is one of the few songs that really lets the vocals dominate the background rhythm. It uses such lyrics as “it’s only the good things, so come as you are” and “please let me remember; I want to remember only the good things.” This song really touches the emotions and asserts the importance of many experiences while wanting to remember the best things and not the worst. Perhaps what was especially appealing was the softness of the music which is a bit of a change from a lot of the other songs that had sharp, loud interjections of sound.
Other songs like “Bust Out” and “The Mongoose and the Snake” rely a bit more on the instruments to infuse a bit of an ethnic type of song that gives a foreign, mysterious feel to it. The singer’s voice seems less soft and more meant to make you wonder at the relationship between the lyrics and the sounds being used to convey them.
Despite this not being my favorite album, it was definitely enjoyable to listen to, mostly because of knowing the history and determination of the band to be able to play what they enjoyed for so long. The combination of traditional jazz with music that we’re more familiar with hearing today really added something unique to the band. The songs infused a variety of different techniques and genre suggestions which is a nice refreshment from hearing the radio playing songs that basically all sound the same.
3.5 Stars