BIOStrip mall chintz. Cinder block suburbs. Depressing Dairy Queens. Hesher metal. For lifelong desert dwellers and North Phoenix, Arizona natives Jeff Bufano and Chris Corak this deadening litany could’ve doubled as a description of their adolescent lives. And so, Reubens Accomplice was born. The band’s peculiar journey- a labyrinthine saga that’s taken them from high school talent shows to amphitheatre stages- has yielded a spectacular bounty in the sun struck pop perfection of their latest album, the Jim Adkins (Jimmy Eat World) produced THE BULL, THE BALLOON, AND THE FAMILY.The much-beloved (though admittedly idiosyncratic) Reubens Accomplice has made a name for itself in recent years touring with the likes of Jimmy Eat World, The Promise Ring, The Weakerthans and No Knife, and building a dedicated fan base throughout the U.S. The groups 2001 full-length debut I Blame The Scenery (released on Los Angeles’ Better Looking Records) helped establish them as critical and cult faves.In Spring 2002, after an amicable split with their old rhythm section, the newly reconstituted and self-assured Reubens Accomplice (with rhythm section John O’Reilly Jr. and Ryan Kennedy) entered the studio with Jim Adkins to record their much-anticipated sophomore album, THE BULL, THE BALLOON, AND THE FAMILY.The disc is an aptly titled affair as the band enlists several members of its extended “family” to aid in this impressive 13-song effort. Guests include producer Adkins, Howe Gelb (Giant Sand, Band of Blacky Ranchette), David Bazan (Pedro the Lion), Jon Rauhouse (Neko Case, Old 97s), as well as a talented crew of West Coast luminaries (Matt Maher, Ryan Kennedy, John O’Reilly Jr.).Listen to the corrosive chording of lovelorn opener “Big Apple, Small Heart,” the Herculean pop of “All Chorus”, the besotted beauty of “Tonight We Drink (featuring Gelb’s creaking country vocal) the sad, sweet electro confection “Act On (Feeling Alone)” the escapist dirge “Leave the City”, and the elegiac refrain of What You Want Gets You”-- these are but a few of the many highlights from an engaging and expansive album. (Hint, hint: also keep an ear out for the CD closing “secret” track).Mixed by Chris Fudurich (Nada Surf, Matthew Sweet), THE BULL, THE BALLOON, AND THE FAMILY combines the plangent guitars and yearning, almost genetic harmonies of Bufano and Corak. A melange of urgent rock and bouncy pop, fantastically infectious anthems and halting balladry, Reubens’ sound -- a cockeyed collision of oddball influences -- is a dreamy and distinctive din that’ll happily be stuck in your head long after the music has finished playing.Reubens Accomplice is the flagship act on the newly launched Western Tread Recordings. The imprint is an Arizona-based venture between Jim Adkins and Phoenix music impresario Charles Levy. Western Tread has already released titles from Jimmy Eat World (a vinyl reissue of 2001’s multi-platinum self-titled album) and the debut EP from Elektra recording artists The Format. ..

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