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The BoDeans

The best singing and songwriting partnerships involve a respectful give and take-whether it’s in the trading of lyrical or melodic ideas, an exchange of guitar riffs, or the blending of vocal harmonies. Kurt Neumann and Sammy Llanas initiated such a partnership more than 20 years ago. As frontmen for the BoDeans, one of the premier American roots-rock bands, they forged a signature sound based on heartfelt lyrics, passionate harmonies, and ringing guitars. That sound first surfaced on the group’s critically acclaimed, T-Bone Burnett produced 1986 debut, Love and Hope and Sex and Dreams. The album propelled the band onto the national spotlight as it broke into Billboard’s Top 100, aided by a touring slot with U2, an appearance on Robbie Robbertson’s self-titled debut solo album, and
being named “Best New Band” by Rolling Stone magazine.

In 1987, the band released Outside Looking In and continued touring. 1989 saw the release of Home, the band’s third record in four years. They followed up with the release of Black And White in 1991. In 1993, the band decided to go back to their roots and teamed again with T- Bone Burnett to produce Go Slow Down, which yielded the Party Of Five theme song, Closer To Free. In 1996, Closer To Free made it into Billboard’s top 10 and earned an ASCAP award for being one of the most played songs at radio that year. In 2004, the band released Resolution on Rounder Records. If It Makes You quickly made it into the top ten on the charts and resided there for several weeks. 2005 saw the release of Hombrewed: Live From The Pabst double live CD
and DVD on Back Porch Records.

Neumann and Llanas spent the better part of 2005 and 2006 writing and recording and are back in the studio with T- Bone Burnett. Simple, heartfelt lyrics, ringing guitars, and passionate harmonies are the back bone of the BoDean’s sound and the backbone of their new record. Look for release late 2007/early 2008.

 

Last updated 2008.06.09