Up There, Down Here
Encyclopedia
Up There, Down Here is the fifth full length studio album
released by American band The Badlees
. It was due to be second released nationally on the Polydor label, but got caught up in constant delays due to the corporate merger of Polygram
and Seagram
, that formed the new Universal Music Group
in 1998. The album was finally released in August, 1999 on the Ark 21 label, after the Badlees were dropped by Universal
.
recorded their follow-up to the blockbuster River Songs
in 1997 and it was originally slated to be released for the Christmas
season of that year. But after a few delays by Polydor and then the sale to Seagram
's put all projects on hold indefinitely in 1998, the project and the band. Over the final months of 1998 and into 1999, requested, then demanded, then begged the label to either release Up There, Down Here to the public, or release the Badlees from their contract, but got little to no response.
Frustrated, The Badlees went and recorded a whole new album, Amazing Grace, independently, a move that could not possibly be ignored by the folks at the new Universal Music Group
, and was bound to cause some movement one way or another. The band members realized that this action would probably mean the death of Up There, Down Here, as Universal owned the rights to that recording. The strategy apparently worked, as The Badlees were dropped from the label on the very day that Amazing Grace was released.
manager Terry Selders had brought in attorney and agent Larry Mazer to try and get the band picked up by another major label but he was having little success on this front. So Terry contacted John Rotella, who had worked at Polydor when the Badlees were signed and was himself a casualty of the Seagram
's sale. Rotella was now at a label called Ark 21, owned by Miles Copeland, who had previously been phenomenally successful with I.R.S. Records
. Through the joint efforts of Selders, Mazer, and Rotella, Ark 21 was able to gain the rights for Up There, Down Here from Universal and by May 1999 a deal was in place. The album was finally be released to the public in August 1999.
The opening song, "Don’t Let Me Hide" is undoubtedly the best song on the album, with a profound lyric, subtle, moody guitars and excellent high harmonies that complement the strong lead vocals. There is definitely an Alanis Morissette
influence on this song, with its rhythmic drums and a strong distinction between verse and chorus. Another song, "Which One of You", may well be the best pop-oriented song that the band has ever done. With entertaining, driving riffs and clear, melodic hooks, this song surely became a huge in some alternate universe, where proper label support was provided to the band.
Up There, Down Here is notable for bringing to the surface some elements of the band's talent that had frequently blended into the fabric of their fine songs of the past. Jeff Feltenberger shines on this album like never before. He wrote the moody masterpiece "34 Winters", which includes some fantastic vocal trade-offs between himself and Pete Palladino, a quality that is also present in the beautifully atmospheric "Thinking In Ways", another profound gem. Ron Simasek's precision, yet intricate, drumming skills can really be appreciated throughout the album like never before, well spotlighted due to its high-end production.
Most of the afore-mentioned gems reside near the top of the album. Towards the middle of the album, there are several songs that show flashes of brilliance or potential but don't seem to quite get there. But Up There, Down Here finishes strong, as the final three songs on the album are all interesting. "Silly Little Man" may forecast some of new, experimental sounds that Alexander and the band would explore in the coming decade. This song has a rhythm in the same vein as "Sweet Home Alabama" while simultaneously possessing a very Beatle-esque vibe with references to "the beautiful people" in the hook and a chaotic, "A Day in the Life"-like conclusion. The next song, "The Second Coming of Chris" is a mechanical, quirky show tune that has some masterful plays on words and untamed electric guitars. The closer, "A Little Faith", is a short (san the "hidden track within it") Americana-fused ballad sung by Bret Alexander that seems to draw deep influence from Bruce Springsteen
's Nebraska
album.
With the album that the band had prepared for and worked on for nearly four years finally released on August 24, 1999, the Badlees were ready to go on the road nationally in support of the album, as they had for River Songs
. But there was yet more disappointment to come. It turned out that their new label, Ark 21 was well on its way to bankruptcy, and they seemed neither willing nor able to provide the band the support they needed to promote this album via touring, merchandising, or licensing. In fact, Terry Selders got so frustrated with this lack of support that he flew to the record company offices and manned the phones personally, trying to land licensing deals for songs from Up There, Down Here. He did have a measure of success, by getting a song onto the new Warner Brothers TV show Odd Man Out, and with the inclusion of "Don’t Let Me Hide" in the film Boys and Girls
. But these were quite small victories for the band that had been true victims of misfortune, not of their own doing, over the past 18 months or so.
The Badlees left Ark 21 after a very short period and returned to their status as an independent band, a state where they had been nothing but productive, growing, and artistically successful in the past.
Additional Musicians
Production
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
released by American band The Badlees
The Badlees
The Badlees are a Roots rock band from central Pennsylvania formed in 1990. They released several independent albums and achieved national success with their 1995 album River Songs...
. It was due to be second released nationally on the Polydor label, but got caught up in constant delays due to the corporate merger of Polygram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
and Seagram
Seagram
The Seagram Company Ltd. was a large corporation headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that was the largest distiller of alcoholic beverages in the world. Toward the end of its independent existence it also controlled various entertainment and other business ventures...
, that formed the new Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
in 1998. The album was finally released in August, 1999 on the Ark 21 label, after the Badlees were dropped by Universal
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
.
Background
The BadleesThe Badlees
The Badlees are a Roots rock band from central Pennsylvania formed in 1990. They released several independent albums and achieved national success with their 1995 album River Songs...
recorded their follow-up to the blockbuster River Songs
River Songs
River Songs is the third full length studio album by American band The Badlees. It was released on their independent label, Rite-Off Records, in February 1995 and sold over 10,000 units before being picked up by the national label Polydor/Atlas after the band signed with that label later in 1995...
in 1997 and it was originally slated to be released for the Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
season of that year. But after a few delays by Polydor and then the sale to Seagram
Seagram
The Seagram Company Ltd. was a large corporation headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that was the largest distiller of alcoholic beverages in the world. Toward the end of its independent existence it also controlled various entertainment and other business ventures...
's put all projects on hold indefinitely in 1998, the project and the band. Over the final months of 1998 and into 1999, requested, then demanded, then begged the label to either release Up There, Down Here to the public, or release the Badlees from their contract, but got little to no response.
Frustrated, The Badlees went and recorded a whole new album, Amazing Grace, independently, a move that could not possibly be ignored by the folks at the new Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
, and was bound to cause some movement one way or another. The band members realized that this action would probably mean the death of Up There, Down Here, as Universal owned the rights to that recording. The strategy apparently worked, as The Badlees were dropped from the label on the very day that Amazing Grace was released.
manager Terry Selders had brought in attorney and agent Larry Mazer to try and get the band picked up by another major label but he was having little success on this front. So Terry contacted John Rotella, who had worked at Polydor when the Badlees were signed and was himself a casualty of the Seagram
Seagram
The Seagram Company Ltd. was a large corporation headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that was the largest distiller of alcoholic beverages in the world. Toward the end of its independent existence it also controlled various entertainment and other business ventures...
's sale. Rotella was now at a label called Ark 21, owned by Miles Copeland, who had previously been phenomenally successful with I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records was a record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg and Carl Grasso. Miles was also the manager of Wishbone Ash, The Police, and later, Sting, as well as other bands. I.R.S. was the sister label of Copeland's Illegal Records .I.R.S...
. Through the joint efforts of Selders, Mazer, and Rotella, Ark 21 was able to gain the rights for Up There, Down Here from Universal and by May 1999 a deal was in place. The album was finally be released to the public in August 1999.
The opening song, "Don’t Let Me Hide" is undoubtedly the best song on the album, with a profound lyric, subtle, moody guitars and excellent high harmonies that complement the strong lead vocals. There is definitely an Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...
influence on this song, with its rhythmic drums and a strong distinction between verse and chorus. Another song, "Which One of You", may well be the best pop-oriented song that the band has ever done. With entertaining, driving riffs and clear, melodic hooks, this song surely became a huge in some alternate universe, where proper label support was provided to the band.
Up There, Down Here is notable for bringing to the surface some elements of the band's talent that had frequently blended into the fabric of their fine songs of the past. Jeff Feltenberger shines on this album like never before. He wrote the moody masterpiece "34 Winters", which includes some fantastic vocal trade-offs between himself and Pete Palladino, a quality that is also present in the beautifully atmospheric "Thinking In Ways", another profound gem. Ron Simasek's precision, yet intricate, drumming skills can really be appreciated throughout the album like never before, well spotlighted due to its high-end production.
Most of the afore-mentioned gems reside near the top of the album. Towards the middle of the album, there are several songs that show flashes of brilliance or potential but don't seem to quite get there. But Up There, Down Here finishes strong, as the final three songs on the album are all interesting. "Silly Little Man" may forecast some of new, experimental sounds that Alexander and the band would explore in the coming decade. This song has a rhythm in the same vein as "Sweet Home Alabama" while simultaneously possessing a very Beatle-esque vibe with references to "the beautiful people" in the hook and a chaotic, "A Day in the Life"-like conclusion. The next song, "The Second Coming of Chris" is a mechanical, quirky show tune that has some masterful plays on words and untamed electric guitars. The closer, "A Little Faith", is a short (san the "hidden track within it") Americana-fused ballad sung by Bret Alexander that seems to draw deep influence from Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
's Nebraska
Nebraska (album)
-Themes:The album begins with "Nebraska", a first-person narrative based on the true story of 19-year-old spree killer Charles Starkweather and his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, and ends with "Reason to Believe", a complex narrative that renders its title phrase into contemptuous sarcasm...
album.
With the album that the band had prepared for and worked on for nearly four years finally released on August 24, 1999, the Badlees were ready to go on the road nationally in support of the album, as they had for River Songs
River Songs
River Songs is the third full length studio album by American band The Badlees. It was released on their independent label, Rite-Off Records, in February 1995 and sold over 10,000 units before being picked up by the national label Polydor/Atlas after the band signed with that label later in 1995...
. But there was yet more disappointment to come. It turned out that their new label, Ark 21 was well on its way to bankruptcy, and they seemed neither willing nor able to provide the band the support they needed to promote this album via touring, merchandising, or licensing. In fact, Terry Selders got so frustrated with this lack of support that he flew to the record company offices and manned the phones personally, trying to land licensing deals for songs from Up There, Down Here. He did have a measure of success, by getting a song onto the new Warner Brothers TV show Odd Man Out, and with the inclusion of "Don’t Let Me Hide" in the film Boys and Girls
Boys and Girls (TV series)
Boys and Girls was a British television gameshow broadcast in 2003 by Channel 4.The series was produced by Chris Evans, but the format was created by a Young Woman from Hertfordshire who was not paid for her creation. The show was presented by Vernon Kay...
. But these were quite small victories for the band that had been true victims of misfortune, not of their own doing, over the past 18 months or so.
The Badlees left Ark 21 after a very short period and returned to their status as an independent band, a state where they had been nothing but productive, growing, and artistically successful in the past.
Track listing
Personnel
The Badlees- Pete Palladino – Vocals, Harmonica
- Bret Alexander – Guitars, Mandolin, Dobro, Dulcimer, Banjo, Vocals
- Jeff Feltenberger – Guitars, Vocals
- Paul SmithPaul SmithPaul Smith may refer to:In music:*Paul Smith , British record label manager and art event producer*Paul Smith , prominent composer of American film music*Paul Smith , Los Angeles jazz pianist...
– Bass, Keyboards, Vocals - Ron Simasek – Drums, Percussion
Additional Musicians
- Robert Scott Richardson - Hammond B-3, Piano
Production
- Joe Alexander - Producer
- Bret Alexander, Paul Smith - Engineers
- Pete Palladino - Layout & Design
- Terry Selders - Manager
- Scott Berger - Tour Manager
- Keith Barshinger - House Engineer