Having seen Country Westerns live recently, I know how good the band are. Their new record, Forgive the City, is solid stuff too. This Nashville trio manages to make this sort of roots rock feel fresh again, and their Fat Possum release is one of this week's best offerings.
While "Speaking Ill of the Blues" has a X-y swagger to it, like something from their Billy Zoom-years, "Money on the Table" and "Knucklen" are more raucous. These cuts roar forward, a whole wealth of country and blues vibes wrapped up in the hooks here. "Where I'm Going" and "Wait for It" are standouts here on Forgive the City, with the yearning in the vocals mirrored by the smartly-rendered riffs around them. I suppose a case could be made that this has been done before, by the likes of Soul Asylum in their early years, and Georgia Satellites in their prime, but Country Westerns still work up a feeling here that's infectious, with this material really grabbing the throat with a new currency.
Forgive the City by Country Westerns is out on Friday via Fat Possum.
[Photo: Angelina Castillo]