The press sticker overstates the Pedaljets place in history just a bit. The band that inspired Uncle Tupelo? Influenced, sure. Befriended...might well be. I saw the Pedaljets once when I was at Missouri. They were damn good, one of the best regional bands of the mid 80s. And they went away right when things seemed to be getting good.

This album is a re-recording of the band's second effort. Some of the original tracks from that 1989 album are still here, but most of this is new. I don't have a copy of that earlier version, but my memory is that it was rougher. Had to be, really. Everything indie in those days was pretty much hack and slash.

As for the style, Uncle Tupelo is not the correct reference. "The Toup" stirred itself a Minneapolis cocktail that was equal parts Jayhawks and 'Mats. The Pedaljets remained firmly in Westerbergian and Stinsonian territory, though they had (and have) the ability to craft gorgeous songs without sounding forced.

This is a stylish remake. The songwriting is definitely 1989, but the modern production brings out the band's many influences. This is a very strange sort of project, but the results don't lie. If this album wasn't already a classic, it sure is now.

Contact:
Oxblood Records

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