Willard's Wormholes

12 Jealous Roses (1985)
A Killer Song And A Long Lost Album

An indie/alt band that got lost in the shuffle during the CD age. Many associate Dancing Hoods with Sparklehorse, since guitarist Mark Linkous served time as a Hood before moving on to the slightly better known indies faves. But, the band was really lead vocalist Bob Bortnick’s baby, and they collectively rocked their way though a thicket of riffs, bash and pop with just the right amount of punk hillbilly swagger, making an EP & two LPs before disbanding. In the process, they tucked a few solid rockers and country hybrids under their belts, including an all-time should’ve-been great, “Pleasure” -  an alt anthem with an outlaw chorus begging for “classic” status; “I danced on ledges a hundred flights up / I drank dirty water from a jagged cup / And I smashed my own bones just to hear them crack / You think this is pain, honey, this is the pleasure.“ 12 Jealous Roses never found an audience at home or at radio, but the Hoods’ bullseyes were great fun and worth hearing. Repeated listening works wonders. BONUS: The download comes with a rare non-LP track, “Antennas Up,” issued as a single b-side and cassette bonus track (the quality leaves a lot to be desired, but it’s not easy to come by, so…). CDs were never made, but the vinyl’s @ Amazon, HERE.

Pleasure (2:52)
Impossible Years (3:28)
Build A House (4:15)
Blue Letter (3:37)
Girl Problems (2:15)
Surfing All Over The World (3:25)
Bye Bye Jim (2:49)
Watching You Sleep (4:28)
(Take My) Chances (3:20)
She May Call You Up Tonight (2:43)
Wild And The Lonely (2:38)
BONUS: Antennas Up (2:47) B-Side/Cassette Bonus Track

Hallelujah Anyway (1988)
A Shot Across Radio’s Bow

Dancing Hoods second and last album still didn’t make any headway into the marketplace, though it was obviously aimed in that direction. They received a little MTV exposure, but the band, their management or their label seemed more intent on pushing the group’s more “commercial” attempts (“Torn Away”), leaving their more subversive (read, more interesting) stuff languishing as ‘tracks-in-waiting’ when the safer material failed to make a dent at radio. Sadly, that’s a familiar scenario that played out with many a mid 80s independent band. Hallelujah Anyway may have been more radio-oriented (with a dated production style to prove it), but the band’s focus had improved and the material was punchier than their debut, with their stylistic appeal and lyrical grit still intact. The CD is @ Amazon HERE.

Torn Away (4:02)
Baby’s Got Rockets (3:40)
Better Look Up (3:14)
Puppet Dancing (4:04)
Welfare Shoes (2:21)
Border Patrol (3:11)
Diamonds In The Mine (3:09)
Falling Down (3:39)
Tell You Something (3:04)
Crooked Angel (3:34)
Angel From Montgomery (3:50)
Wish I Could Tell You (2:12)

Dancing Hoods EP (1984)
The band’s hard to find debut EP. Not as fully formed as the group’s two LPs, it’s posted here for those scant few that will probably ask about it if it wasn’t here.

Reputation (3:27)
Idiot Kiss (4:32)
Graveyard Shift (2:39)
Forget It (2:49)
Not The Only One (2:21)