Unless you’re a fan, you haven’t heard from these guys since the quirky “Peaches” video.  Not a lot has changed.

This is a recording full of tight, pop songs (most songs at the 3:00 mark) with lyrics that are both witty and full of ironic humor.  What has happened over the years is a subtle maturing of the music itself. Known for playing a three string guitar and a two string bass, tuned to something like C#, the music was very stripped down. On this recording the band has added horns and congas, and other tasty bits in a way that doesn’t muddy the waters.

The Presidents have had some ups and downs over the years and regrouped most recently in 2004. Time has treated them kindly. On tracks like “More Bad Times”, the lyrics blend with music that’s nearly folky to become an instant classic, much in the way The Band wrote songs that seemed timeless at the first listen. “Truckstop Butterfly” is immediately comfortable, like I’ve known it all my life, but you need to listen closely to get a sense of where the story is going, and that’s the point, every song has something to say.  I played this at a party recently and the reactions ranged from toe tapping to people stopping for a moment to listen to a lyric.

Some fans might find it a little too polished; but it’s a solid, mature collection of songs from a band that deserves some radio time. Radio is never going to be this hip, so buy it and put it into rotation on your MP3, or share it at a party. No idea what I’ll do in the voting booth this November, but right now I’ll stand and salute these Presidents.