Americana Music Times

A few days ago I received a press kit for a band that, until a couple of weeks prior to that, I’d known nothing about.  Upon opening the very nicely put together kit, which my 5 year old explained as “being very original” it was immediately clear to me that I was probably in luck for a very favorable listening experience.  The cover letter called the band, the “illegitimate lovechild of Marshall Tucker Band and Pearl Jam.”  Nice, I’m listening….I’ve always liked the idea of lovechildren, I revere Marshall Tucker, and I crave Pearl Jam.  Our magazine is called “Americana Music Times,” which means we can talk about anything from Red Dirt Country to “The Band” and everything in between.  By nature of the site, the three of us here at AMT are each entitled to our very different musical perceptions and preferences, and because we are primarily an internet site, there is nothing trafficking our expressions of them. This is a damn good thing for me. Today, it’s about a band from Austin, TX called Caravan Go.

It always hands me a laugh when people unwittingly imply my affinity for “Country music,” which I cannot deny exits, but the truth is I was cruising around in my dirty red Mustang rocking to the tunes of STP and The Black Crows long before I ever even heard of the the “Red Dirt” scene. I remember the first two “records” I was ever given, by my dad one Christmas when I was somewhere in the vicinity of eight years old.  One was Joan Jett and The Black Hearts.  The other was Bad Company.  They were both vinyls, and I wore ‘em out on my record machine, which my dad had also given me. Man I was good at workin’ that record needle. I’d had a lot of practice. My grandmother had an antique record player, the kind that opens in the front like an oven door and cleverly reveals the player itself. Had those really ornate old screen covered speakers that resembled some old war hero’s dreams of southern fences, or such. It had most likely witnessed countless hours of aristocratic men standing around, looking somewhat disheveled,  sipping brandy in well pressed suites, wearing pocket watches. The kind of night where women dressed up for each other, clad in expensive beads and feathers, smoking cheap cigarettes out of quellazaires, which they’d probably imported across the seas from some swanky, high class cigar shop. The thing is the size of an obnoxiously large dresser. We’ve still got it, but that is for quite another story.

I make mention of all of this, simply to make note of the fact that although much of my work is spun around the sounds of the typical Texas country scene, my roots lie quite elsewhere…and I love off the wall rock ‘ n’ roll. The album I received the other day is really neither…exactly.  Lead vocalist, Corey Vanderhoof calls the sound “Southern College Rock,” a very interesting concept to me, yet very fitting. Not quite John Mayer, not quite Allman Brothers, but definitely not country. And there is nothing not to like about a track that opens up an album with two straight minutes of nothing but music. I love a song like this. Starts out rockin’ with a riff that sets the tone for the rest of the song. I’ve seen it done a lot, and I almost always like it. So when the opening track of “Moving Still,” as the EP is called, began this way, I was excited. I was, however, thrown a little curve, when 45 seconds in I expected the lyrics. Instead, the sound builds a little, the tempo changes, and we rock on for another minute, and then some. Pretty groovy little sound, and I dig it to open up the record. The track is called “Sow Crates,” and has a very Monty Montgomery feel to it as far as tone. I’m a big fan of Monty Montgomery. This track is well placed here on the extended play, but since it’s not a full album, I can’t say wether or not it will remain the opening track. I hope it does, I really like how it works here. Cool tune.

As far as the rest of the album, there are definitely remnants of Mr. Vedder and the crew, as promised, although I heard a little less of the “Marshall Tucker” reference initially. As I listened to the album through again and again, especially the next track, “Stay,” which is a radio prepped track, I was picking up on something else, but couldn’t quite put my ear on it. I finally decided it was an old track called “Lucky” by Seven Mary Three…another one of those that was always spinnin’ in my player one way or another. Any takers? This track has a great riff at the end, but has that deep emotional feel in the beginning which I always tend to like. I can see why it’s a radio choice. I like the idea of strongly dirt-rooted lyrics, as “hiding out in the pouring rain” and “my sins are drowning in my beer “ being paired with a gritty garage band feel.

“Bitter” the other radio prepared track reveals the “Marshall Tucker” sound, although not as clearly here on the album as it does in the acoustic version of the song. Lyrically, I am definitely feeling the influence of the boys from Spartanburg, South Carolina, although sonically, it is more apparent in the acoustic cut. Both are really cool, however and the electric guitar at the end of the album cut is definitely reminiscent of classic Southern Rock. So here again there is a juxtaposition of two very different musical genres, which works really nicely. I do like the two “twin acoustic guitars” in that version of the song, but you’ll have to find that one at a live show.

This album takes me back, and simultaneously forward. I like what I hear, want to hear it live. Some down-home roots mix nicely with clear, intuitive vocals and I think put a very nice spin on things. Something that we don’t typically hear, but this scene needs. Even the title, “Moving Still” seems to be indicative of the unusual pairing of grass roots and concrete.  I dig it, period. Looking forward to the full album. Think the band deserves a live listen. Check ‘em out.

**Here are two sample tracks from “Moving Still.”  The others I tried to include were too large for this post, but go to the links below to see other videos and get more information on the band.

stay

bitter

www.GETRUNOVER.com