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Railbenders:
Segundo
Friday, 4:30 finds me cracking my first of the weekend PBR stash, listening to records in my room and tracking down tickets. Its my day off, and Im off to Denver to see The Big Show. This happens to be the Supersuckers new tour kicking off right about now, combining their country set with their raucous rock n roll set. Six oclock finds me still cracking, but Ive moved into my living room and Im alternating between watching the snow fall on the foothills outside my window and the blinking tube. Its a beautiful Colorado evening. Perhaps youre wondering what the hell kind of tangent Im going off on, and when will I actually get to the benders? Well, the answer to that is that Im setting up the mood of the record and the audience for which it calls. As 8:30 rolls around, my friend pulls up and were on our way to Denver to catch some country raunch and roll. During Mr. Spaghettis second solo set of the night, a young, black-clad gentleman by the name of Jim Dalton strolls on stage to join him. They creep into an old Hank Williams, Jr. number together, O.D.d in Denver. Its a beautifully sad song about being on tour and wrestling with the stress and problems that come with the road. This song slides in at number seven on the Railbenders new album, Segundo (complete with Eddie Spaghetti on the guest appearance). This is a great, true country rock album which rolls, wanders and crawls like the best of em from a couple decades ago. Jumping from curbside ballads, drinking mantras, self-reflection and tear in beer recollections, The Railbenders can swing and hold their own in the eyes of Cash, Parsons, Willie and Haggard. I dont see why they arent be filling barrooms with Daltons smooth, whiskey-soaked vocals strummed down crystal clear, shaky strings, Tyson Murrays rolling, thick bass lines and Graham Haworths snappy, driving pop of a beat. On a few tracks, a twangy pedal steel glides across, toying with Daltons vocals and the backing rhythm. So, if youre into the sweet sounds of the country Suckers or you dig the depth of Mr. Steve Earle, youre gonna find yourself tapping your foot to this album and raising your glass for a toast. Its a rollercoaster of an album, back and forth between upbeat country rock and meandering, heartbreaking ballads, Dalton and the boys can make you feel. Track ten rolls in with a bit of thunder, churning downhill from the last, hitting a bump and spinning into a dizzying, stomping rendition of Diamonds Sweet Caroline. The album closes out on The Hangover Song, with Dalton promising to just get up the next day and do it all again.
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