Adventure has been a mainstay in Louisville for 2 decades, released 6 full length albums, appeared on countless Louisville Is For Lovers compilations and singles, and has collaborated with local artists including The Cut Family Foundation.
Adventure has put more time in the Louisville scene than most, but has long since been seen as a group with the precarious, yet somewhat coveted, label of a Band's Band; highly regarded by other artists, yet not well known to wider audiences.
I was introduced to Adventure in the mid 2000s by a woman I had a crush on, but she had a crush on someone in Adventure. By the rules of love I had every right to dismiss the band for selfish reasons, but I instead became an instant fan. My jilted heart was no match for their brand of infectious ramble and jangle alt-country roots pop. They sounded as if The Jayhawks and The Replacements got married and moved from Minneapolis to a city equally as fucked up, and I was instantly smitten.
The new album, World of Hurt, still carries the Jayhawk/Replacements jingle jangle, with slightly more worldliness; Kidz In Cagez tackles our current political minefield wrapped in a Sweet/Brian Eno glitter coat. The classic Adventure take on love is still present too; Breaking Up Is Loud! and Better Him Than Me are just as likely to cheer you up after a break up as they are to sadly remind you of those tender times now gone for good.
The album opener, Shoulda Drank, is the perfect late summer jammer we have been missing this year and shows the full tallent Adventure has to offer: musical skills, emotional insight, humor, wit, and ass shaking beats & hooks. Fang and Just Another Place I Can't Go are prime garage rock specimens with just the right amount of southern twang. If previous Adventure releases could gain the affections of Louisville's musicians, World of Hurt could easily be the album to woo everyone else.
World of Hurt is available on Spotify now here and CDs at Guestroom, Better Days, & Underground Sounds on Aug 17th.