Playing sharp, tuneful songs with a hint of psychedelia and challenging melodic angles, the dB's bridged the gap between classic '70s power pop (defined by bands such as Big Star, Badfinger, and the Scruffs) and the jangly new wave of smart pop, personified by R.E.M. While the dB's spent most of their career on the East Coast, they were the among the first and most important representatives of the Southern branch of the new wave, bringing North Carolina warmth to music that sometimes sounded cold and spare in the hands of others. 1981's Stands for Decibels was their critically celebrated debut, 1984's Like This blended their clever pop hooks with a more engaging production, 2012's Falling off the Sky was a reunion album not beholden to their past, and 2021's I Thought You Wanted to Know: 1978-1981 offered a fresh look at their early years.