Emerging from the singer-songwriter scene at L.A.’s Hotel Café, this six-man collective aims for a true synthesis of country and rock, mixing sweet harmonies with rollicking backbeats suitable for front-porch singalongs (resting dog and Topanga Canyon sunset optional). And they must get along all right, since four of the members all share vocal and songwriting duties. The group’s current self-titled debut was produced by Black Crowes front man Chris Robinson, and the dozen tracks — from the uptempo “Hail Hail,” “See Her” and “She Really Does It for Me” to slower, lolling tunes like “Old Piano” and “101” — sound like they meet at the intersection of the Jayhawks, America, My Morning Jacket and the Crowes’ own countryish tunes. This buoyant band with the unwieldy name opened for the Crowes last November, but this gig is their first headlining effort in Houston.
This article appears in Jun 3-9, 2010.
