The 1985 Listening Post - The Pontiac Brothers - Doll Hut

The Pontiac Brothers - Doll Hut

#17

January 1985

The Pontiac Brothers

Doll Hut

4 out of 5

Highlights:

Work With Me

It’s Alright at Home

Out in the Rain

How lucky are we? Two Pontiac Brothers albums in one month! There’s got to be a story here but I’m too lazy to look it up.

Some tracks are repeated, like the country boogie “Straight and Narrow” or the Crampy “Almost Human”, which I like more here than I did on the last album. Only…this time…while the Stones adulation is even more obvious, it kind of works. The band is tighter and Matt Simon’s vocals seem to be hewing closer to the Westerberg than the Jagger, although he’s obviously sung along to every single Stones album. 

Much better follow up, Pontiacs. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/doll-hut-fiesta-en-la-biblioteca/498661169

The 1985 Listening Post - The Pontiac Brothers - Big Black River

The Pontiac Brothers - Big Black River

#1 

January 1 1985

The Pontiac Brothers 

Big Black River

Category: Roots Rock

3.5 out of 5

Highlights:

All or Nothing

This is an interesting way to kick off 85. Psycho Country, it seems. Roots rock that hints at what’s to come in the next decade. 

Sometimes I feel like they straddle a line between The Replacements and Mojo Nixon. While that’s fine, I have both and these guys don’t add anything. In fact, while the playing suggests working class Gin Blossoms talent the vocals/melody leave a lot to be desired. 

I will say this, kicking off 85 with this sound: With this roots rock sound, (that wants so badly to be The Rolling Stones), it feels like the 80’s as we know them, are over. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/big-black-river/499380760