Old 97's Album: “Hitchhike to Rhome”

This is possibly the 97's best & a must have in the alt country genre. Back before they signed a major label deal & descended into pop rock radio fare these guys made a few records that had brains, soul spirit & twang to spare. Don't hesitate... it'll make you smile & forget all the bands that tried to follow.

*Hitchhike to Rhome* is one of the classic "alt. country" albums and a defining document in the band's history. Fans of the Old 97's newer releases may not be prepared for this album's fusion of raw country aesthetic and indie-rock abandon, and even genre fanatics will note some limitations. Mediocre production and immature arrangements don't always do the material full justice: Rhett Miller hadn't yet learned to use his voice, and the guitars don't always sound as great as they should. The key to Old 97's records, though, is Miller's songwriting, which has some fine moments here. Not many albums can reinvent classic genres ("Doreen," a classic paean to the joys of an underage girl's affections), resurrect the tried-and-true (a loving treatment of "Mama Tried"), and top it all off by sneaking in what may be country music's first, last, and only allusion to Plato's Allegory of the Cave (the otherwise unpretentious "St. Ignatius"). The album's major flaw is its inclusion of tracks which should've remained on the cutting room floor ("Hands Off", "Desperate Times"). A band of this caliber is allowed a few lapses, though, and the album remains a rare achievement in country-rock songcraft.

My 23 year old punk rock daughter picked out hitchike to rhome for my 51st birthday gift. Desperate times, has me! Wish the worst, superlative! The old 97's have a sound that is unique with undertones of the garage bands I used to love, only almost better. The vocals are desperately sweet and the music makes me crazy happy... One note, my CD has about 2 1/2 minutes of dead time between if my heart was a car and desperate times. But I don't mind cause just about the time my mind is wandering on to something else the music kicks back in. I know where my tax rebate is going, more old 97's!

In a world where pre-fab pop and processed hip-hop get 90 percent of radio air time it's nice to come across a gem like the Old 97's. This album is rough, raw, and in the end unbelievably refreshing. The vocals aren't stellar, the guitars aren't the greatest ever, but the songwriting is sensitive and the lyrics are witty and wise. Like many have said, there are certain tracks which will haunt your mind and make you listen to the album over and over. Some of my favorites: '504' which can make you remember New Orleans even if you've never been there, the belt-along 'Wish the Worst', and the catchy 'Doreen' which makes me want to break out my guitar and head down south. For certain this album is a treasure.

If you like the newer old 97's, you'll love this album. Most of it has more of a country feel than the others, but it still has alot of twang rock, like the first track. An essential album for even the slightest old 97's fans!