Giving A Good Goddam About Classic Country— Are All The Punks Wearing Cowboy Hats Now?
Drag The River At The Monte Vista Lounge
by Dean “Hell, It Must Be My Turn!” Bonzani
6-13-04
There comes a time in a rocker’s life when he or she’s just got to unplug the electric guitar, unlace the black Chuck Taylor high tops, pick up a road-weary Gibson Hummingbird acoustic, and strum a song about drinkin’ Coors until the hurt goes away.
Or so it seems, considering the countrification of acts like Graham Lindsey (Old Skull), John Doe (X), The Knitters (again, John Doe— only this time, with fellow X bandmate Exene Cervenka), and Hank Williams, III (no surprise there, as his grandpappy’s genetic strain took hold of the boy in midstream).
What is it that compels a body to jump genres so violently?
Who knows or cares, so long as the results are glorious and real, as is the case with Fort Collins, Colorado’s Drag The River. Born out of the union of songwriters/guitarists Jon Snodgrass of punk rockers Armchair Martians, and Chad Price of All ( some of whose members divide their time and loyalties with The Descendents), Drag The River is a dead-on country band with a rock pedigree. Price and Snodgrass are joined by bassist J.J. Nobody of The Nobody’s, pedal steel and electric guitarist Zach Boddicker, and drummer Paul Rucker, also of Armchair Martians fame.
Drag The River isn’t trendy, nostalgic, over-produced or tongue-in-cheek. Its music is the result of fine songwriting in the country tradition, played by dedicated musicians. Who are also punks.
Their first album, “Hobo’s Demos”, is full of boozy philosophizing and occasionally crunchy guitar. Its follow-up, “Closed,” was met with open arms in 2002. Now, the band has released “Chicken Demos,” which is composed of tracks that were left off of “Hobo’s Demos.”
Fans of what country used to sound like before it turned into the highly-polished turd that is the “new” country will appreciate Drag The River’s rolled-up-sleeves approach and sincere take on the greats that came before them. You can feel the whiskey in their boots and smell the dust on their breath.
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Drag The River at The Monte Vista Lounge, June 25th. At night. Wear clown hats.
©2004 by Dean Bonzani, All Rights Reserved