The Baseball Project is a group I’ve always been interested in, but it took me a couple years to pick up one of their records. After hearing how great 3rd is, I feel pretty late to the party.

The group began as a side-project for Scott McCaughey, Peter Buck and Mike Mills from R.E.M. along with Steve Wynn from Dream Syndicate and Linda Pitmon. Having recorded three albums in seven years, it’s hard to dismiss The Baseball Project as a mere novelty.

3rd consists of 18 songs (plus 4 extras offered as a digital download) ranging from tales of baseball’s all-time greats (Babe Ruth on “The Babe”, Hank Aaron on “They Don’t Know Henry”) to contemporary stars (Alex Rodriguez on the less-than-flattering “13” and Prince Fielder on “C’Mon Prince”).

It’s a mixed bag. Both sonically and thematically. From the fuzzy rock of “To The Veterans Committee” (put Dale Murphy in the Hall of Fame!!) and “From Nails to Thumbnails” (oh Lenny, how the mighty have fallen) to the twangier “Box Scores” and “The Baseball Card Song”. You never feel like you’re hearing the same song twice.

Probably the most engaging song on the whole disc is “Pascual on the Perimeter” which chronicles a day in 1982 when Braves pitcher Pascual Perez got lost on the way to the ballpark and missed his start.

Baseball history is filled with interesting stories and it’s great that The Baseball Project is digging for some of the more interesting nuggets. I had no idea that spring training used to be held in New Orleans nor had I heard the unfortunate tale of Robin Yount’s older brother Larry.

Baseball has always been a sport that celebrates its past, with retro uniforms, retro stadiums and an emphasis on tradition of progression. On 3rd, The Baseball Project celebrates baseball’s present along with its past, and that’s something worth getting excited about.