"You're A Bottle Cap Away From Pushin' Me Too Far"

Well, finally got a chance to listen to the Old 97's Drag It Up all the way through, and I've made some initial impressions based on that listen.

The music is fairly subdued for most of the album, with softer songs and lighter arrangements than what I tend to think of as Old 97's. Rhett Miller, the lead singer, has toned down the vocal acrobatics significantly--on Too Far to Care, he often yelped and roared his way through the lyrics, but here he relys almost exclusively on a mellow croon that fits the tone of the songs well.

Several of the tunes on the album stray into straight country, a few into rock, and the rest tend to stradle the line between those two genres. The band is in fine form, working equally well with the rockers as with the swinging country numbers. The performances are subtle and understated for the most part, though a couple of numbers rock out in a very welcome fashion.

Lyrically, it's a very strong set, featuring Miller's standard clever lines, insightful commentary, and smouldering intensity that are part and parcel of the band's trademark style. Miller doesn't take all of the lead vocals himself--the bassist and lead guitarist each get a chance behind the mic, and the results are quite good.

As far as individual songs are concerned, there's a lot to like here. "Won't be Home" is a shuffling, haunting song the likes of which the Old 97's do best. "The New Kid" has a direct link to the Eagles, both stylistically and thematically (the Eagles' tune "New Kid in Town," to be specific), but never sounds like a retread. "No Mother," a tribute to a friend who was killed by a drunk driver, manages to be moving and emotional without slipping into the saccharine or sappy, and is a fitting closer to the album.

All in all, it's a good album. It's nothing revelatory or especially groundbreaking, it won't convince anyone who doesn't like the band to start listening to them, but it's a solid, well-crafted album. In fact, the strongest point in favor of this record is that it is the work of craftsmen; the Old 97's are a band who have put effort, energy, life, and emotion into 13 songs, and the results are a great listen. Worth picking up for anyone who enjoys alt-country, twangy pop, clever lyrics, and a good dose of roots-rock.

~chuck

Song of the Moment: Old 97's, "The New Kid"