Adam Again - "Perfecta"

Adam Again - Perfecta
1995, Brainstorm

1. Stone
2. Strobe
3. All You Lucky People
4. All Right
5. Harsh
6. Air
7. Dogjam
8. LC
9. Relapse
10. Every Mother's Way
11. What's Your Name?
12. Unfunny
13. Try Not To Try
14. Don't Cry

Adam Again has never been a band to repeat themselves. Such as the case with Perfecta which, again, sees the band altering their sound ever so slightly. All traces of funk are gone now as well as the quirky rhythms I enjoyed so much on Dig. The whole album has the "recorded live" kind of vibe. The lyrics are a lot darker as well. I think Gene was working through his divorce and other struggles on this album. I'd be hard pressed to say I like this as much as Dig, but it has grown on me over the years. It's pretty easy to find these days so it is worth picking up.

Useless fact: "Don't Cry" originally appeared on the Brow Beat - a compilation of unplugged tunes by bands like The Choir, Undercover, and the Lost Dogs.

Adam Again - "Dig"

Adam Again - Dig
1992, Brainstorm

1. Deep
2. It Is What It Is (What It Is)
3. Dig
4. Hopeless, Etc.
5. Songwork
6. Worldwide
7. Walk Between The Raindrops
8. Hidden, Hidden
9. River On Fire
10. So Long

Dig proves to be another step in the evolution of Adam Again. Most all of the funk and jazz aspects of the band have been jettisoned in favor of straight up alternative rock. It's not quite as much of a move as it was between Ten Songs and Homeboys. And man, oh, man is it amazing. This is my favorite Adam Again offering. I love Greg Lawless' psycho guitar riffs. I love Gene's voice - especially the syncopated wordplay with the lyrics ("Hidden, Hidden" for example). "River On Fire," an acoustic ballad, is at once heartbreaking and beautiful and one of the best tracks on the album. However, "Songwork" is probably my most favorite song here. The guitar riff and vocals just create this whole world of sound. Yeah... I can't say enough good things about this disc.

Useless Fact: I'm pretty sure that "Worldwide" is about the first war in Iraq.

Adam Again - "Homeboys"

Adam Again - Homeboys
1990, Broken

1. Homeboys
2. The Fine Line
3. Hide Away
4. Bad News On The Radio
5. Inner City Blues
6. Dance Around In Circles
7. This Band Is Our House
8. Save Me
9. Occam's Razor
10. No Regrets

1990 was definitely a good year for music! Homeboys is a lot different from Ten Songs. Most of the dance stuff has been ditched in favor of more rock and more funk. I, for one, couldn't be happier. This is a great collection of poignant songs and Gene's voice fits the mood perfectly. You can almost feel the heat bouncing off the pavement of an old inner city basketball court. Dan Michael's sax jazzes up the proceedings nicely. Oh... let's not forget the hooks. They're much more apparent here and I think the songs are a lot more focused, and as a result, a lot more interesting. The lyrics are thought provoking and not the "happy shiny" Christian lyrics that were so popular at this time. "Inner City Blues" is a Marvin Gaye cover which the band pulls off flawlessly. This really is a classic album!

Useless Fact: Steve Hindalong from The Choir wrote the lyrics to "Hide Away," and he even sang the song on the tribute CD after Gene's death.

Adam Again - "Ten Songs By Adam Again"

Adam Again - Ten Songs By Adam Again
1988, Broken

1. Tree House
2. Beat Peculiar
3. Who Can Hold Us?
4. Babylon
5. I've Seen Dominoes
6. Trouble With Lies
7. Ain't No Sunshine
8. Eyes Wide Open
9. Every Word I Say
10. The Tenth Song

I first started listening to Adam Again with Dig, so this album has been out for a LONG time! The dance/funk/jazz style here is a far cry from the meloncholy alt-rock that came later. Personally, I just can't get into this. It's not really the style change though. I think I have a hard time with this disc because the hooks just aren't that apparent to me. I got bored. The songs are long too... a little too long I think. "Beat Peculiar" comes in at over 8 minutes! There just isn't anything that really grabs ahold of me. The songs themselves are alright and I love Gene's voice as much as I always have but this is a total miss for me even though many fans consider it a classic. Eh... maybe it will grow on me. Oh, and good luck finding a copy because it's way out of print and goes for upwards of $50 online.

Useless Fact: Rap group SFC sampled "Beat Peculiar" on A Saved Man (In The Jungle) for the song "Peculiar."