Rubin claimed that they had decided to incorporate the accordion and tuba into the band to counteract their growing popularity,Internet Archive. Live recording of the Bad Livers at the Nick in Birmingham, Alabama. April 21, 1993. Remarks spoken at the end of "Turpentine Willie". Retrieved November 10, 2012. but to no avail: their audience continued to widen and more critics saw beyond the gimmicky descriptions to the band's innovation and skill. The Washington Post described them as "truly great",Brace, Eric. "Shocked and Soundly Rocked". The Washington Post. October 25, 1991. B06. The Times-Picayune praised their "serious musicianship" and Barnes' "soulful, urgent lead vocals",Sandmel, Ben. "Bad Livers Play It All". The Times-Picayune. July 17, 1992. while Rolling Stone admired their "striking blend of virtuoso flash and poignant simplicity".Darzin, Daina. "Bad Livers". Rolling Stone. December 15, 1994. Page 40. Don McLeese of the Austin American-Statesman twice described the Bad Livers as "Austin's best band"McLeese, Don. "Amusements". The Austin American-Statesman. January 12, 1993. F5.McLeese, Don. "The Noise of '94". The Austin American-Statesman. December 22, 1994. 5. and raved of one live show: "The uncommon telepathy enjoyed by Danny Barnes, Mark Rubin and Ralph White makes the band's frenetic acoustic interplay sound like the work of a six-armed, multistringed monster."McLeese, Don. "Step right up for big springtime shows: Austin takes on all it can handle with touring acts and South by Southwest". The Austin American-Statesman. January 17, 1995. E6. Barnes was voted "Best Player of Any Other Instrument" for the banjo at the Austin Music Awards in 1991 and 1992,"Austin Music Awards: Best Austin Musicians". The Austin Chronicle.] Retrieved December 22, 2012. and the Bad Livers were voted "Best None of the Above" for four consecutive years from 1991 to 1994."Austin Music Awards: Best Performing Bands". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
