By: David Schultz

America’s National Pastime has a knack for inspiring some pretty insipid songs. For every “Centerfield,” there are dozens of schmaltzy, hokey tunes like “Talkin’ Baseball (Willy, Mickey & The Duke)” or “Super Bowl Shuffle” cash grabs that try to make a buck on a local team’s immediate success (e.g. “Let’s Go Mets”). It’s not a musical subgenre known for its successes. Using their wide-eyed love for the sport as their guide, Peter Buck (R.E.M.), Steve Wynn (Dream Syndicate), Scott McCaughey (R.E.M., The Minus Five, Young Fresh Fellows) and Linda Pitmon successfully navigate the minefield of “baseball rock” and emerge with their integrity intact.

Spearheaded by Wynn and McCaughey, The Baseball Project revels in baseball lore with all its trivia, minutia and love of statistics with the unabashed glory of the biggest of baseball geeks. Taking creative license, they inhabit the minds of Ted Williams, Curt Flood and Fernando Valenzuela, who as you would expect expresses himself in Spanish, to get their point across about the possible passing of our pastime. The approach the Project with a sense of earnest whimsy and their excitement comes through in the lyrics. They rhyme Posada with Tejada, celebrate David Wells broad, booze style and find a way to name every pitcher who has thrown a perfect game while stumping for Harvey Haddix’ 12-inning 1959 masterpiece to be included on the list.

It’s the music that keeps Frozen Ropes & Dying Quails from becoming yet another collection of baseball related twaddle. While its far from the finest work this group has been affiliated with, when set next to Terry Cashman’s redundantly syrupy missives, it’s nearly Lennon & McCartney. Using a variety of loose and jangly rock and country based rhythms, the songs lope along with the easy pacing and provide the same enjoyment as a nine inning classic.