Balancing Act

Originally assembled in 1984 around the material of singer, songwriter, and guitarist Jeff Davis, the Los Angeles group known as the Balancing Act centered its approach on acoustic guitars, layered harmonies that stood out for their uniqueness, and songs marked by intelligence and eccentricity. A range of additional instruments, among them the melodica, recorder, and shortwave radio, further colored the arrangements. Although the foundation remained acoustic, the quartet steered clear of conventional folk-rock or standard singer/songwriter territory. Davis joined forces with guitarist Willie Aron, bassist Steve Wagner, and percussionist Robert Blackmon to introduce elements of atonality and unexpected rhythmic shifts while maintaining strong songcraft as the core of their output. Both in the studio and during live performances, the band also interpreted songs originally associated with Captain Beefheart, Funkadelic, and Public Image Ltd.

By the time their debut appeared, Wagner and Aron had begun contributing songs alongside Davis. The group issued an EP on its own Type A imprint in 1986, followed by two full-length albums on I.R.S. Records through the Primitive Man Recording Company subsidiary in 1987 and 1988. Despite evident artistic development across these releases, the Balancing Act achieved no significant commercial traction and dissolved after completing its third album, Curtains, a recording widely viewed as the band’s strongest work.