Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams (Deluxe Edition)

In the mid-‘80s, the BoDeans represented a return to guitar-based pop-rock at a time when radio was dominated by big, electronically enhanced drum sounds, excessive synthesizers, and enough reverb to drown an entire band. With producer T-Bone Burnett keeping the production to a lean minimum, the BoDeans delivered this incredibly straightforward collection that features an abundance of hooks from the slightly forlorn opener, “She’s a Runaway,” the high-spirited “Angels,” and the plucky, self-assured “Fadeaway.” Less mysterious than R.E.M. but with a similar appreciation for the classic songwriting form and a love for guitar sounds, the BoDeans were classified as “roots rock.” The singers’ harmonic whine and the band’s slightly western-affected rhythms and guitar finger-picking (“Still the Night”) showcased the BoDeans as a pop band that on closer listen held deeper emotional depth than the melodies initially admit. The expanded edition includes demos that prove that Burnett’s production was mostly to ensure the band didn’t lose any of their deeply bred chemistry.