the badlees
Pete Palladino – lead vocals
Bret Alexander – guitars, lead vocals and anything with strings
Paul Smith – bass
Ron Simasek - drums
What happens when the members of one of the most respected, critically-acclaimed and successful bands that Pennsylvania has ever produced decides to hit the studio together for the first time in seven years? Well, in a nutshell, things pick up right where they left off.
A great rock record is made.
“Love is Rain,” the latest release from The Badlees, perfectly exemplifies why the group has received such acclaim and why it has developed such a loyal fan base. It’s a perfect amalgamation of the clever roots-rock for which the band is best known, yet it also embraces the pop sounds that helped propel the band up the national charts. And, perhaps most important, it’s also a brash step forward. It offers radio-ready gems, eclectic instrumentation, a touch of modern-rock, marvelous production and stunning album cuts unlike anything the band has recorded before.
“Although we haven't released a record in seven years, most of us have continued to be involved in the music business by working with other artists as players, producers, and engineers,” says Badlees guitarist and principal songwriter Bret Alexander. “So when it came time to release new Badlees music, there were years of new experiences to draw from. To some, the new record may feel like a departure, but to me it was the most natural thing in the world. Of course, there is a fair amount of familiar sounding stuff on ‘Love Is Rain’ - everybody wants to hear that. But it actually took more of an effort to sound like the old band than the new one. I think this is our best record.”
The Badlees’ history is a colorful one. The band’s third full-length album, 1995’s “River Songs,” resulted in a national recording contract. Songs such as “Angeline is Coming Home” and “Fear of Falling” were national hits, the highly-publicized video for “Angeline” appeared on VH1 and the band toured the nation’s largest arenas with acts such as Bob Seger, Plant/Page and Gregg Allman. Another album, 1999’s “Up There Down Here,” resulted in yet another national record deal and was also met with much critical acclaim.
With the release of “Love Is Rain,” the band is once again hitting on all cylinders. Critics have placed The Badlees in the same class of songwriters as Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp and Tom Petty and have called them “America’s best band.” Fans have followed the group with a fierce loyalty and other acts name them as an influence. And radio programmers – before, during and after they danced with the major labels – have always been quick to add their music to their playlists.
“Love Is Rain” – perhaps more than anything the band has done before – shows why.