Review / 200 Words Or Less
Jeff Caudill
Try to be Here

Fortunate Son (2009) Sean K.

Jeff Caudill – Try to be Here cover artwork
Jeff Caudill – Try to be Here — Fortunate Son, 2009

Rising from the remains of the pop-punkers Gameface, Jeff Caudill heads out on the road by himself on this trip. Well, not exactly. He does the consistency of the producing and also being the drummer for this project. Also involved is none other than Robbie Rist (yes-"Oliver" from The Brady Bunch!) Check out YouTube for a funny clip of Robbie destroying his image so to speak. But the songs are what we really need to veer back to here. Real stories are being told here, about broken lives and buried dreams. "Stay Home" offers up a nice groove and some pleasant piano over Jeff's singing. "Spend" brings a bit more rock into the equation with good effect. My favorite here is "I was the Lead Singer" where he looks back on his past with longing and maybe a bit of sadness. The best confessional type tune about being in a band since Slim Dunlap's "The Ballad of the Opening Band." Give this a shot if that sounds like it's in your realm of enjoyment. I know it entered mine.

6.0 / 10Sean K. • December 16, 2009

Jeff Caudill – Try to be Here cover artwork
Jeff Caudill – Try to be Here — Fortunate Son, 2009

Related news

Low Coast marks a new direction for Jeff Caudill

Posted in Records on April 15, 2023

Recently-posted album reviews

The Brokedowns

Let's Tips The Landlord
Red Scare Industries (2025)

I've reviewed a lot of Brokedowns records over the years. First, I'll say I love the band and I honestly feel like they keep getting better. Second, I'll say that this record threw a couple of surprises at me. The band play multi-vocalist poppish punk in the school of Dillinger Four or Errth, albeit more on the angry side. There … Read more

Dumbells

Up Late With
Mind Melt Records (2025)

When I started my end of year list this year I asked my pal Joel from Portland’s Dumpies to share his best of 2025 playlist with me. Several songs caught my attention which I, in turn, went and checked out the albums from which they had come. The one that has quickly climbed up my year end list over the … Read more

Osiah

Aion
Unique Leader (2025)

Deathcore is a genre that’s constantly threatening to eat itself alive. For every band trying to push boundaries, there are ten more content to recycle the same breakdowns, the same vocal gymnastics, the same studio-polished violence. Osiah, however, have never been interested in playing it safe and their latest EP Aion is proof that they’re still operating on a level … Read more