THE BAD APPLES ARE BITTER

Bad Apples come across as a band more interested in having fun than filling ears with long winded musical journeys. There are lengthy numbers on the album - fueled by jazz and funk resulting in amiably dance ready songs for the hippie crowd as much as the next square in the room. The trio finds inspiration and fruitful creativity through funk, rock and even rap on one track (Moses Poses: Private Eye).

On Acid Reflux the bounce is layered with popping drums and playful keyboards. The jazzy and soulful strut of "Jackpot" is reminiscent of The J. Geils Band and Smashmouth fused in an after hours club. Singer (and drummer) David Witter's deep gut vocals are tempered with coffee and whiskey, raspy like Dr. John and throaty like a New Orleans street preacher.

The Smell is wonderfully nervous, think 'House of the Rising Sun' with a faster pace and sweeter harmonies. Its carnival-esque piano driving rhythm makes it a standout among the variety of songs on Home. However, it's the plodding rhythm of I-95 that illustrates the smart complexity of the band. It plays evenly. Steady drumming and keyboards that sound like a xylophone and guitar that exercises restraint along the way, building just enough to tease but never achieving more than it needs to be.

But It's My Time is an album highlight, funky and catchy enough to bridge all the races, and 'Days' flows like honey. James Albis' driving piano notes coupled with organ cut deep, rolling over one another like playful children. It's a song made for radio airplay.

Bad Apples are Steely Dan meets Smashmouth meets Blues Traveller meets Ben Folds Five - many things all at once with nothing going wrong in the mix. HOME represents Bad Apples refining their sound and serving as a peak into their future as a dynamic rock band.