''Bet the Sky'' is an album by the American

indie rock Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produc ...

band Lois, released in 1995. Lois supported the album by touring with Fugazi.

Production

Brendan Canty Brendan John Canty (born March 9, 1966, in Teaneck, New Jersey) is an American musician, composer, producer and film maker, best known as the drummer for the band Fugazi. In 2007, ''Stylus Magazine'' ranked Canty at #29 on the list of "50 Gre ...

and Heather Dunn joined Lois Maffeo for the making of ''Bet the Sky'', which was written and recorded in

Olympia, Washington Olympia is the capital of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat and largest city of Thurston County. It is southwest of the state's most populous city, Seattle, and is a cultural center of the southern Puget Sound region. Europea ...

. "Shy Town" first appeared on an EP, produced by

Ian MacKaye Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye (; born April 16, 1962) is an American musician. Active since 1979, he is best known as the co-founder and owner of Dischord Records, a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label and the frontman of hardcore punk ...

Critical reception

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference ...

'' called the album "a welcome return to acoustic wimpiness," writing that "though it contains fewer instantly memorable songs than Lois’ other records, the album does have some of Maffeo's best lyrics ... and some beautiful, assured singing." ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'' deemed it Lois' "craftiest album yet," writing that "such simple, sparkling tunes as 'Steal Heat' and 'Shy Town' retain the slightly punky, mostly folkie charm of the bicoastal singer's two previous long-players." The '' Staten Island Advance'' considered it a "superb array of vibrant, jangly pop-punk and moody acoustic torch songs." ''

The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...

'' stated that "it's a low-fi affair, with Maffeo's sharp, breezy tunes presented in simple, accessible arrangements that use folk instrumentation and slightly off-kilter rhythms." The ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...

'' concluded that Maffeo's "off-kilter, mostly acoustic approach is compelling, avoiding the self-righteous stance or baby-doll trimmings that plague many of lympia'sartists." ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' determined that "cushioned by airy, evocative melodies and the simple strum of a guitar, Maffeo's songs speak in the universal language of regret."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

wrote that "the opening 'Charles Atlas', a witty recasting of the wimp-turned-macho man ads from the comic books, is one of Maffeo's best songs, with a memorable hook and sing-along chorus."

Track listing

Personnel

- guitar *Heather Dunn - drums *

Lois Maffeo Lois Maffeo (professionally known for much of her career as Lois) is an American musician and writer who lives in Olympia, Washington. She has been closely involved with and influenced many independent musicians, especially in the 1990s-era Oly ...

- vocals, guitar

References

{{reflist 1995 albums K Records albums Indie rock albums by American artists