The Bats: Volume 1 (Captured Tracks)

I am so very grateful that indie labels like Captured Tracks and Merge are reissuing early classics from bands such as The Bats. They are possibly the very best of the early Flying Nun groups that released a slew of classic albums from the early 1980s to the present, and listeners are blessed that all four members are still with us and actively recording and touring. The Bats toured along with The Clean this summer, and both groups had retrospectives released. The Bats:Volume 1 collects Compiletely Bats (originally released on cassette in 1987), the band’s great debut album Daddy’s Highway, and also includes their second album The Law of Things. There are also some outtakes and demos from that era in this collection.

I was into their magical blend of folk and indie rock from the get go, and it’s hard to describe just how important their music is to me. It got me through so many low times, and it never fails to raise my spirits hearing Robert Scott’s pleasant voice floating over the group’s sparkling jangle pop. Their closest American equivalent might be Yo La Tengo, another long lasting and endearing group. There is a long string of songs on here that I love (“Calm Before the Storm”, “Smoking Her Wings”, “Sir Queen”, to name only a few), and some of them are comical (“Get Fat”), while others are somewhat sad (“Claudine”). The music is memorable and its impact has lasted decades, and that is a testament to the power of this band’s songwriting and playing. Like all such bands, they deserve a much higher profile, but sadly, that will likely not happen. But be assured that fans like me are still listening and savoring this special music. I hope new fans will catch on too.