Out: Old 97s; In: Thrift Store Cowboys

Cafe Society
1

I’ve been a fan of the Old 97s for several years. However, their last two albums and the solo work of lead singer Rhett Miller is leaving the alt.country roots they started with and becoming increasingly pop. Albiet, it’s good for pop, but it’s not what I want from them.

Today, I was at Texarkana’s Quadrangle Festival when I hear the intro chords to Big Brown Eyes and then the lead singer starts belting out “Big brown eyes, and a gust of wind …” The Old 97s aren’t playing the Festival, so who’s that, I wonder. So I drift over to the stage. One song after another is well performed by the entire band and the vocals; original songs and covers of legends like Buck Owens and Jimmie Rodgers and alt.country stars like Old 97s and Whiskeytown.

I heard enough, so I had to buy their CD. And I’d like to share it with y’all. Ladies and Gentlemen, if you’re wonder where you’ll get your alt.country fix now that Rhett seems more interested in being a Pop Star, Uncle Tupelo is defunct and Wilco gotten even more eclectic, then here’s your answer: Thrift Store Cowboys. There must be something in the water out in Lubbock, because here’s some more talent from that little town that gave us Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Joe Ely, and Mac Davis

Enjoy

2

Gad, you’re so jaded.

:smiley:

3

I would give anything not to be …

:wink:

4

Oh, crap, I just realized that I misremembered the song title. It wasn’t Jaded, but Jagged. Talk about a weak pun made even weaker by being a non-sequitur…

Now, there is a great pop song called Jaded, but it’s by a group horribly named The Mommyheads. What I actually had running in my mind was the Old 97s song with the other song’s title.

:rolleyes:

5

I knew what you meant. Jagged is one of the “last two albums” I lamented above. Which is not to say I disliked Fight Songs and Satellite Rides. I like both albums. But they aren’t Wreck Your Life or Too Far to Care, if you know what I mean.

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Jagged is on one of …