Published on Mar 30, 1999
Ahh, yet another album title that’s a playful title of a
landmark album. Though the title itself may be a cheap way to lure
an unsuspecting listener in, what else can you do? You haven’t read
any articles about the band and they are not on your radio station.
All that’s left, really, is the album title and the cover to catch
your eye.
And thankfully,
Exile On Coldharbor Lane was able to find its way into the
CD player in the Arts and Entertainment cubicle of our student
paper. Straight from the mouths of The First Presleyterian Church
of Elvis The Divine (I’m not kidding), the reverend Dr. D. Wayne
Love serves the listener a straight up Molotov coctail of styles
that have been trainwrecked into a 50 minute listening
experience.
It this album were a FOX special, it would have been called,
“When Styles Collide.” Rockibilly, Tex-mex, beat boxes, delta-style
blues and straightforward rock litter this release. The full name
of the band, Alabama3, describe their sound as “acid country
house.” Whatever, all I know is that for the first listen, I was
hooked.
The album kicks of with a revival, full of chorus chants and
divine keyboards. The phrase “Lets go back to church” is sung,
although what church exactly is entirely up to you. Just stick
around for the second song, “Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness.” As
the harmonica enters and Larry Love’s vocals hit, it’s hard not to
compare this band with another eclectic band, the Dave Matthews
Band. Only this time, it sounds as if the Dave Matthews Band got
ahold of some fungal friends and REALLY let loose on their jamming
skills.
The album surprisingly doesn’t lose its humor or novelty factor.
“Bourgeoisie Blues” and “Hypo Full Of Love” are both hilarious
lyrically, but still engaging enough that you can listen to them a
couple of times without getting tired. But, the listener may get
tired of the same space-acid-country-beat box mix towards the end
of the album.
“Sister Rosetta” and “Peace In The Valley” are both fine
ditties, it’s just that they begin to sound somewhat similar to the
other songs on the later half of the album. The instant hooks that
grabbed you on the first three songs are no longer there. And “The
Old Purple Tin,” judging by reading the lyrics before listening to
the song, should have sounded a lot better than it did when the
track came on.
Like the Reverend Horton Heat (what is with blazing southern
bands who insist on having a lead singer deemed “reverend”?), A3
has roots so deep in the south, no amount of techno or metal can
uproot them. But unlike the Reverend Horton Heat, A3 needs some
time to refine their style, so they won’t fall into the ‘novelty
band’ trap. They have the skills, they have the humor. Now, all
that’s left to conquor is a small obstacle called “the sophomore
slump”. Our prayers are with yahs.