Published on Jul 3, 2001
Over the past year or two, I’ve seen an upturn in Western swing
music. Maybe it’s because I’ve been exposed to more of this genre
while doing this job; maybe it’s because public interest in this
style of country music (while it never completely went away) is
piquing again.
BR5-49 is not strictly a Western swing band, but neither are
they a pure country or a pure rockabilly act. But over the course
of three albums, the band has helped get many people’s feet wet in
several different genres of music, thanks to their own amalgam of
styles – often in the same song.
Admittedly, I’ve not listened to BR5-49, until their latest
disc,
This Is BR5-49, came my way. For those who consider
themselves to be country music purists, they’re probably not gonna
like what they hear. (Then again, what
is pure country music? There’s a roundtable discussion to
have the next time you’re in a C&W bar… be sure to call me
once they’ve removed the beer bottle splinters from your head.) For
fans of BR5-49, this disc will probably not break any new ground,
but will be enjoyable. For newcomers, this will be kind of exciting
to listen to.
Some of the roads that BR5-49 cover have been well trod by such
artists as Garth Brooks, Travis Tritt and Brooks and Dunn. Tracks
such as “Too Lazy To Work, Too Nervous To Steal,” “A Little Good
News” and “Different Drum” (not a cover of the Stone Poneys hit)
are light country numbers with a hint of rock’s power behind
them… and, in the case of “Too Lazy…”, enough of a tempo to get
you out on the dance floor doing the Texas two-step.
Yet on the songs that BR5-49 penned themselves, they’re to be
commended to not always trying to plug in a happy ending.
“Different Drum” tells the story of the town misfit, who is forced
to battle the demons of his childhood as they’re dredged up by
another new generation. They could have taken the easy way out and
had the town discover what a prince the guy really was (usually
after his tragic but heroic death), but they leave the story open
for you to complete. That’s skilled songwriting.
And yes, there is the occasional feel-good song like “A Little
Good News,” which is the open wish of turning on the television to
not hear stories about death, fire and mayhem. And there’s even a
touch of disrespect thrown around, especially heard on the track
“Psychic Lady” – which, surprisingly, isn’t as harsh on the
thieve… oops, I mean psychics… as one would have expected.
(Memo to Miss Clio: Bet you saw this song coming, didn’t you? And
why is it when I try to read the cards, all they tell me is to lay
the black jack on the red queen?)
This Is BR5-49 is an enjoyable enough album which is sure to
win the group a new legion of fans while pleasing their established
following. Sure, a band like this could look at a career move and
try to focus in on one particular style of country music. But as
long as they’re doing it this well, and apparently having fun doing
so, why change a good thing?