The dB’s Stands For Decibels (2024 Reissue)

The dB's

Stands For Decibels (2024 Reissue)

Propeller Sound Recordings

By Mike Perciaccante

Described by some as one of the great lost power pop albums of the ‘80s, The dB’s’ debut album, Stands For Decibels (originally released in 1981 by Albion Records), is being given a second life by Propeller Sound Recordings. Pitchfork praised the legendary album as being one of the Top 100 albums of the 1980s. In The Village Voice's year-end Pazz & Jop Poll, Stands for Decibels was voted by critics as the 26th best album of 1981. The band (guitarists Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey, drummer Will Rigby, and bassist Gene Holder) has been acknowledged as influencing and inspiring numerous Indie, Jangle-Pop, Modern Rock and Alternative bands and artists (including, but not limited to, Matthew Sweet, R.E.M., Bob Mould, The Posies, Jellyfish, The Fleshtones, Let’s Active, Material Issue and The Smithereens).

The 2024 remastered edition is available on CD (featuring the bonus track, “Judy” which was previously only found on a long out-of-print I.R.S. Records CD reissue). In addition, the label has released the classic album on LP--the first time it has been issued on vinyl in the United States. Stands for Decibels is also available digitally.

Critically acclaimed, but commercially unsuccessful, Stands For Decibels, delivers a listening experience, that in 1981, was quite different from the Classic Rock, latter-day Punk and early New Wave that had become uniform, normal and de rigueur. The album and its song structure combined numerous genres and musical influences--what would become known as Indie-Rock; Brit-Pop; Southern-style Jangle-Rock; Psychedelic Rock; Post-Punk/New Wave; Art-Rock; Power Pop and good old-fashioned Rock ‘N’ Roll. Highlights include: “Big Brown Eyes,” “Cycles Per Second” and “Black and White” (which have all recently been re-released as digital singles) as well as “Dynamite,” “The Fight” (with its rockabilly aesthetic), “Moving In Your Sleep,” the heartfelt “I’m In Love” and the psychedelic and dreamy “She’s Not Worried.”

This re-issue is a hook-laden treasure that is not to be missed.

CD & Digital Tracklisting: 

1.     Black and White

2.     Dynamite

3.     She’s Not Worried

4.     The Fight

5.     Espionage

6.     Tearjerkin’

7.     Cycles per Second

8.     Bad Reputation

9.     Big Brown Eyes

10.  I’m in Love

11.  Moving in Your Sleep

12.  Judy [CD/Digital Only]