Thursday, June 14, 2007

Hackensaw Boys - Look Out!

After the first listen to The Hackensaw Boys Look Out!, which is to be released on June 19th by Nettwerk Records, I felt the album could be summed up in one word, Wow!! This is their best album to date. After years of relentless touring with such diverse acts as Modest Mouse, Camper Van Beethoven, The Flaming Lips, The Detroit Cobras, Cake, Charlie Louvin and De La Soul, The Boys show a few new directions on this album. The current Lineup features Jesse Fiske on bass, accordion, harmonica and guitar; Jimmy Stelling on banjo and fiddle; Robert Bullington on mandolin and guitar; Ferd Moyse on fiddle and bass; Ward Harrison on guitar and Justin Neuhardt on charismo, spoon and Saw. (You have to love a musician that plays instruments you can buy at Home Depot.) Also, former Hackensaw Boy and current Modest Mouse Tom Peloso contributed two songs and plays bass on “Hobo.”

The first song “Look Out Dog, Slow Down Train” is front porch stomp reminiscent of previous releases. Also, in keeping with old time tradition the album includes a revenge song, “Oh Girl.” There is also a great rendition of the traditional gospel tune “Gospel Plow” that musically doesn’t sound very gospel at all. A lot of the songs on Look Out! go in new directions but the album doesn’t lose its edge or become too polished as it explores other influences. In fact, the album has a very live feel. In the end the Hackensaw Boys are what they always have been and hopefully always will be. A group of great musicians that have party will travel.

Oh Girl MP3
http://nettwerk.com/media/mp3/HacBo/HacBo_OhGi.mp3

http://www.myspace.com/hackensawboys
This review also appears on: http://twangville.com/

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