Album Notes

it's been a bit of a collectors item for a while (ebay be damned!) but now, through this exclusive tv offer...

yeah, it's back - Universal Nancy. the very first cd by the bootLICKERS! so we had some more pressed and we figured we put 'em up for consumption online. get it while you can.

On the inside sleeve of Universal Nancy, The Bootlickers point to Aimee Mann, R.E.M. and Crowded House as their musical inspiration, but their songs are more akin to the Magnetic Fields or Belle & Sebastian. Like those artists, they balance syrupy sentiments and sweet melodies with dry instrumentation and wistful singing. John McNeill's clean guitar strum plays counterpoint to the band's three-part harmonies. Bootlicker lyrics can be extremely intense or tongue-in-cheek cute. In "Stephen," McNeill flies a kite with the ghost of a dead friend. "Sure of You" praises and questions a new romance with the goofy line: "In a Hardy Boys Mystery you're the greatest clue/ Though I've always been partial to Nancy Drew." Of course who could overlook the Bootlickers' cover of "These Boots are Made for Walkin'" with its phrase: "These Boots are made for lickin'." Hidden away under a stack of cds vying for my attention, Universal Nancy quietly stunned me - a very promising debut.
- Neil Gladstone, "Hometown Heroes" Philadelphia City Paper - The Music Issue

"four stars - beg, borrow, or buy Universal Nancy!...featuring frank, often clever, lyrics; strong harmonies; moving ballads and foot-tapping melodies, the seven song debut CD features the best of the Bootlickers. By sticking to the musical basics, the Bootlickers turn the focus to their rich harmonies and McNeill's heartfelt lyrics...a moving, fun CD." - Kevin Melrose, PGN