Although they formed in Brooklyn, the quartet’s members are originally from all over the States. Frontman Jeremy Beazlie comes from North Carolina and Kentucky. Guitarist Vincent Vitek is a pure Texan from Fort Worth, while bassist Ben Longwell and drummer Ian Hardie are both from the Pacific Northwest.
The South seems to have the greatest impact on their sound, however, as their opener is titled “Texas,” delivering the message in their hook, “If I die here/bring me down to Texas.” For more country, fast-forward to “David.” Other tunes to reckon with are “Ghost Train Robbers,” adding in influences of rockabilly, and their cover of Garry Lee And The Showdowns’ classic hit, “Rodeo Song,” which they do a fine job re-imagining.
Aside from their country-punk influence, they’ve got some quirks that make most of their songs stand out independently of one another. “Go For It” has a catchy heart-pounding beat accompanied by a fun kazoo solo. “Strange Things” kicks off acoustically and is shared with Beazlie’s rambling voice. “Til The Phone Died” has undertones of a doo-wop melody mixed with modern bluesy guitar lines, and “Explode” sounds very 1990s alternative rock.
Talent and diversity oozes from this record. I can hear the 1990s grunge and alternative rock influence from Seattle, southern blues and country from the Carolinas to Texas and the heavy yet swinging rock ‘n’ roll of the East Coast. It’s a great album for any age packed with up-tempo beats and a lively feel. I can only imagine what they sound like live.
In A Word: Entertaining
