This came out in 2004 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Start with the streetcorner-poet romance and starry-eyed frat-rock exuberance of the first Bruce Springsteen albums. Add dashes of Philly soul, girl-group pop, Van Morrison troubadourism, Layla’s instrumental grandeur, The Faces’ scrappy folk-rock, the best of Motown, doo-wop, R&B and even double-dutch chants.
Now swirl it all together with tales of transvestites, streetcorner pizzerias and drug deals gone tragically wrong, and you’ve got 20,000 Streets Under The Sky, the latest essential masterpiece from singer-guitarist brothers Dave and Serge Bielanko, the heart and soul of Marah. Anyone who’s heard their flawless 2000 album Kids In Philly — or been lucky enough to witness one of their magnetic, evangelically charged live shows — understands the Bielankos still believe in a world where rock ’n’ roll is meant to save your soul. And as they guide you through the dark streets and seedy dives of their beloved Philadelphia on these 11 cuts, spinning everyday moments into gorgeous, life-affirming epics of valiant struggle, it’s impossible not to fall under their seductive spell — and find your own faith renewed in the process.
