Tuesday , March 19 2024
Philadelphia Road is a competent collection of country/folk/rock tunes by The Bacon Brothers that flows but seldom rocks.

Music Review: The Bacon Brothers – Philadelphia Road – The Best of The Bacon Brothers

Philadelphia Road – The Best of The Bacon Brothers is a complilation of the best tracks from The Bacon Brothers’ first three albums, recorded over the past 15 years, plus “Unhappy Birthday,” which was recorded after 9/11 and remixed for the 10th anniversary of that event.

The Bacon Brothers are, of course, Kevin and Michael Bacon. They are decent musicians and songwriters, and this CD proves that music is more than a novelty for Kevin. However, of the two endeavors, certainly Kevin Bacon is more exceptional as an actor than he is as a singer or songwriter. (Michael is known as a go-to composer for documentaries and film scores.)

In fact, while the 18 songs on this CD include some I really like, overall I feel that many of the numbers lack a real spark. There’s nothing wrong with them, but they just never really cause an emotional connection with me.

It should be said that I have not heard the other albums, and do not know if there may be material on them which I would respond to more strongly. These are the songs that the brothers themselves chose as “the best of,” however, so I assume they are representative.

Of the songs I do like, most of them are at the beginning of the CD. My favorite is “Old Guitars,” with its nostalgic recitation of song titles I recognize and a sense of the fun of musical discovery. That song has a bit of grit to it. I also like “Boys in Bars,” another song that has a rockier feel and a nostalgic theme.

“Unhappy Birthday” is a song with depth and great harmonies about 9/11, and definitely a worthwhile listen.

“Guess Again” is a clever song about who we are and who we’d like to be, but it wears a bit thin by the end. “Only a Good Woman” is a pretty good country ballad with the much-used theme of how a good woman is the only thing that can make life worth while for a man. “Ten Years in Mexico” is pretty, with some nice harmonies. “Guilty of the Crime,” is a more recent collaboration with The Bellamy Brothers and definitely one of the livelier and more memorable tracks on the recording.

For the rest of the songs, there’s nothing actually wrong with them. Some of them remind me of Jimmy Buffet with less humor, or James Taylor at his most earnest. They are all pretty laid back, and while the tempo varies from tune to tune, none of it has much fire or excitement.

The only song I really didn’t care for at all is “She’s the Heart,” which I feel is overdone, overly melodramatic, and a bit trite as well.

However, if you like your music relaxing and tranquil and you’re really fond of folk rock ballads, then this collection may be just what you are looking for. There’s some nice musical arrangements, some good harmonies, and some clever lines.

I suppose the bottom line is that for me, with the exceptions noted above, the majority of this CD just was too smooth, too clever, too laid back, and too lacking in real emotional connection. I would have liked to have heard more versatility, more of an edge, and a lot more soul.

About Rhetta Akamatsu

I am an author of non-fiction books and an online journalist. My books include Haunted Marietta, The Irish Slaves, T'ain't Nobody's Business If I Do: Blues Women Past and Present, Southern Crossroads: Georgia Bluesand Sex Sells: Women in Photography and Film.

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