Executives in Charge of Good Times: Also, Bluesy Voice of Express Singer Is a Powerful Draw

Hutchinson, Amy, The Washington Times (Washington, DC)

"Rock and roll is supposed to be fun," says Dave Dederer, "guitbassist" for the Presidents of the United States of America. The band hails from Seattle, a city with a reputation for producing angst-filled rock stars who vent their misery in their music. By contrast, the Presidents' music is bright and cheerful, as evidenced on their self-titled debut album.

The album, a collection of quirky, upbeat tunes, displays an intelligent humor that comes through in singer-songwriter Chris Ballew's off-the-wall lyrics. "Lump," the first single from the album, is about a fat, pajama-clad old woman rotting in a swamp . Other songs seem to be mostly about kittens, chickens and monkeys.

The skewed songwriting isn't the only unusual thing …

Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information: Article title: Executives in Charge of Good Times: Also, Bluesy Voice of Express Singer Is a Powerful Draw. Contributors: Hutchinson, Amy - Author. Newspaper title: The Washington Times (Washington, DC). Publication date: June 20, 1996. Page number: 2. © 2009 The Washington Times LLC. COPYRIGHT 1996 Gale Group.

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