Let it never be said that we here at Popdose don’t unabashedly cannibalize each other’s ideas…and our readership’s ideas, too!

After I posted my all-covers edition of Mix Disc Friday, which included the Judybats’ take on Gary Numan’s “Cars,” Reader Rich observed that “someone should do a ‘Why You Should Like’ on them,” and our man John Hughes…sorry, John C. Hughes…accepted the gauntlet that Reader Rich had thrown down. In less than a week’s time, Mr. Hughes had indeed produced such a column, providing an exemplary look back at the band’s major-label work. I was crestfallen, however, when he offered almost no mention of the band’s last recorded effort, Judybats ‘00. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like he ignored it altogether, but he simply said this:

The Judybats dissolved after Full-Empty, only to half-heartedly reunite for a final album under the Judybats name in 2000 (this version only featured Heiskell and guitarist Johnny Sughrue).

Actually, it doesn’t even include Sughrue…or, at least, he’s not mentioned in the credits. In Mr. Hughes’ defense, however, the album is out of print and almost impossible to come by, its independent release occurring so far under the radar that it’s not referenced in either their AllMusic.com profile or their Wikipedia entry, so maybe he was just going from a word-of-mouth report. But according to my copy of the disc, Heiskell was the only original member of the band to carry over, with the new line-up featuring Rob Bell (bass), Doug Hairrell (guitar), Mike Hairrell (drums), and Reed Pendleton (guitar). In fact, I remember noting this at the time, finding myself torn between being totally psyched about a new Judybats album and thinking it was a little misleading to release what essentially a Jeff Heiskell solo album under the Judybats moniker. If you’re in the same camp, you’ll leave this piece with considerably more understanding about why things went down the way they did with Judybats ‘00…but, first, let’s check out the album itself.

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Last Friday, Popdose commenter Rich mentioned that someone should write a Why You Should Like… about the Judybats. Well, Rich, I’d love to give you all the credit, but I’ve had them on tap for a while — you just gave me that extra push to get it done. Aw, tell ya what, I’m feeling generous today, so all the credit is yours! Thanks! So, why should you like the Judybats? The evidence, please:

College Sweethearts: The Knoxville, Tennessee, band got their start as college radio darlings in the early ’90s as the pleasing jangle-pop and harmonies of “Native Son,” (download) the title track from their debut, garnered heavy airplay and even got the band on MTV:

But it was “Don’t Drop The Baby” (download) that snared the most buzz, as that video went into regular rotation on MTV’s 120 Minutes and expanded the Judybats’ fan base beyond college dorms into mainstream Modern Rock Radio. While not a huge seller, it put the band on discriminating music fans’ radar.

Southern Charm, Power Pop and Horsing Around: From the album cover featuring a beat up pick-up truck to its title, Down in the Shacks Where the Satellite Dishes Grow, the band’s second LP showcased the band’s southern roots, with Jeff Heiskell’s nasally twang accompanying Margaret Mitchell melodramas like “Our Story” (download) and the somber closing track, “When Things Get Slow Around Here.” (more…)