Old 97's Album: “Wreck Your Life”

Description :

Old 97's: Rhett Miller (vocals, guitar); Murry Hammond (vocals, banjo, bass); Ken Bethea (guitar); Philip Peeples (drums). <p>Additional personnel: Don Walser (vocals); Jon Langford, Chuck Uchida (guitar). <p>Recorded at Attica, Chicago, Illinois. <p>On their second album, Texas alt-country rockers the Old 97's consolidated their strengths while improving on the slight weaknesses of their homemade 1994 debut, HIGHWAY TO RHOME. A rollicking remake of that album's standout, "Doreen," shows a band with considerably more road experience under their collective belts: the vocal interplay between lead singer Rhett Miller and bassist Murry Hammond feels far more natural, with Hammond's Bob Wills-like shouts and interjections sounding much less forced, and the songs are both authentically twangy and played with a bit of punkish urgency. The key to the album is found in the trio of covers, which neatly triangulate the band's influences: a heartfelt version of the pre-rock Latin-pop classic "You Belong To My Heart," Bill Monroe's bluegrass blast "My Sweet Blue-Eyed Darlin'," and Jon Langford's "Over the Cliff" sound perfectly natural next to one another, and they all sound like originals. Later albums by the Old 97's would increase the pop and rock influences, but WRECK YOUR LIFE is the band at their most authentically alt-country.

"...headin' back to Cleveland in a 7-seater tour van there's eight of us, so one's sleepin' on the floor. The guy that plays the banjo keeps on handing me the Old Crow. It multiplies my sorrow, I can't take this any more..."

This album makes me want to give up songwriting. I can't write a song as well as "Doreen". I love everything from The Beatles, to De La Soul, to Johnny Cash, to Sleater-Kinney, but I've never felt like that. No album had ever made me think a genre had peaked before this one. Buy it and weep.

If you like achingly clever lyrics, brlliantly-turned phrases, crunching guitar cords, driving drum tracks, mind altering hooks, and toe tapping fun, you will like this album. Seriously, this is as finely crafted pop/rock/twang-a-billy album as you are likely to find. Perfect.

Of the Old 97s albums, I'd rate Too Far to Care first and Wreck Your Life a close second. Both are examples of excellent musicianship and, on occasion, some of the best songwriting you will ever hear. About Doreen: "She lived in Berkeley til the earthquake shook her loose .... She lives in Texas now where nothing ever moves."

Listen to the "Victoria" and "Doreen" samples. If you don't hear something there, don't buy the album. And I would also suggest that you check your pulse.

The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is due to a couple weak songs- W-I-F-E and Goin Goin Gone. But everything else is pure joy with Over the Cliff and Big Brown Eyes my favorite. To crank the music and sing "Please don'd call me cool just call me a$$hole" or "I'm calling Time and Temperature just for some company" is the most fun you can have with your pants on. Highly recommended.