Old wine in new bottles. But, man, it's good, good wine

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	• The Band of Heathens The Band of Heathens BOH Records, 2008 average customer review:based on 4 reviews view larger image
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Country, rock, blues and folk from Austin, TX

Having gravitated to one another's live sets at Momo's in Austin, Texas, songwriters Colin Brooks, Gordy Quist and Ed Jurdi (together with bassist Seth Whitney and drummer John Chipman) formed The Band of Heathens and released their 2006 debut as, unsurprisingly, "Live at Momo's." More unusually, their follow-up was also a live disc, and it wasn't until this 2008 release that the quintet settled down to record in a proper studio. Their combination of country, rock and blues has a distinctly southern flavor, venturing towards Southern Rock and stadium-sized energy of John Mellancamp's heartland singalongs, but remaining rootsy throughout. There are numerous antecedents here, including the bluesy melting pot of Little Feat, the 1970s rock-goes-country Rolling Stones, the eclecticism of Commander Cody and NRBQ, and the rustic sentiments of The Band.

Produced by the legendary Ray Wylie Hubbard, the disc's eleven songs cover a lot of ground, from multi-part harmony-laden country to electric blues rock. The Southern fried gospel blues of "Unsleeping Eye" nods vigorously to Little Feat, and the mandolin and pump organ (courtesy of Stephen Bruton and Gurf Morlix, respectively) of "Second Line" add a lazy New Orleans drawl. Patty Griffin adds her voice to "Maple Tears" sad story of cross-border broken hearts, and the oil-rigger's tale, "Nine Steps Down" has an irresistible radio-ready melody. Among the most successful productions are the album's simplest, such as the gentle arrangement of Ed Jurdi's love song, "40 Days," and the salacious backporch blues "Cornbread," featuring producer Hubbard on slide guitar.

The Band of Heathens mix of blues, rock, country and folk brings to mind the ground-breaking experiments of the late `60s and early `70s, as well as the more commercially-oriented efforts of acts like The Ozark Mountain Daredevils and Eagles. The results neatly provide country music fans a respite from the pop productions of Nashville's mainstream without resorting to the archness of alt.country opposition. [©2008 hyperbolium dot com]

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Good One

Austin band that wears its allegiance to Little Feat proudly. How can you miss when Ray Wylie Hubbard produces and Patty Griffin joins in for three songs?

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Great Texas Band

While visiting in San Antonio over the summer, these guys were on a local morning news show. I liked them right away, even though I'm not a huge country listener. They have a good sound and most of the tracks on this CD are ones I really like. Of course, my favorite is "Heart on My Sleeve," the one I heard in the beginning.

Old wine in new bottles. But, man, it's good, good wine

I caught The Band of Heathens by chance at the Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival last Sunday. What a great live band. I snatched up this, their first studio CD, right away. These guys are the real deal. Their sound may not be original or unique, but it's a great sound, and they nail it. The musicianship is excellent, they've got great songwriting chops, and it's music that makes you want to get up and move. Or crack a few beers and kick back.

I think the Amazon review comparing them to the Eagles is totally wide of the mark. This stuff is more in the vein of blues/roots/country rock/Southern Fried. And it's organic where the Eagles always seemed slick and canned to me. I'd say a bit of early Little Feat, a touch of The Band. Solid songs. And there are some big names gracing these tracks, too. Patty Griffin on a few, Gurf Morlix adding some texture.

As a heathen myself, I'm expecting some great things out of this band of songwriters. Check them out.

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Known for their live albums, the best Austin band of 2007 (Austin Chronicle) shows that Austin's indie spirit is alive and well with this set that feels like the young Eagles come to Texas, mix it up with the locals and play to the fans rather than the industry hipsters. Smart southern/country rock that has some heartland heart running through it as well. A sure bet for anyone that's ever grooved to that vibe and wants more without it being more of the same. Often described as this millennium's bastard stepchild of the mating of Little Feat and The Band. Produced by Ray Wylie Hubbard if that's keeping it real enough for you.

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