Sometimes a disc comes along and just hits you in the right place at the right time. In 1997, We’ve Been Had Again by the Philadelphia rock group Huffamoose, was such a disc. Having heard the gorgeous ballad “James,” on AAA radio, and a subsequent acoustic live session a few days after, the urge to pick up We’ve Been Had Again was almost overwhelming.
Vocalist Craig Elkins has an interesting vocal timbre and that originality is what makes We’ve Been Had Again so dynamic and indelible. The group made a splash with lead single and album opener “Wait,” a gorgeous alt-rock cut that rivaled anything released that year. But We’ve Been Had Again was far more than just “James,” and “Wait.”
The swirling and hypnotic “Enigmatic,” picked up on the rock vibe of “Wait,” but went a little deeper and proved that Huffamoose were certainly onto something quite memorable. The dizzying grunge-inspired title track, the hyper-silly and shuffling country-esque “Like a Weed,” and the crunchy “Such a Good Look,” were all further proof that this Philadelphia quartet was truly on the precipice of something special. While songs like “Shattered,” “Speeding Bullet,” and “Snapshot Family,” were also engaging and worth repeated listens, they don’t hold a candle to the delicate valentine “Buy You a Ring,” which later was placed in a jewelry commercial.
The success of We’ve Been Had Again vaulted the band to a spot on the 1998 HORDE Tour, but four years later, the group called it quits. Thankfully, a documentary was released about the group’s attempts at stardom and has been cited by Cameron Crowe as being one of the best rock documentaries out there. In the end, while Huffamoose’s ascent to the limelight never materialized, We’ve Been Had Again still ranks as one of this writer’s most favorite releases of that year, and “James,” remains one of the most gorgeous songs this writer’s ears have ever heard. And it is for that reason that some 15 years after its release, We’ve Been Had Again is still getting some spins.
