The Gobblers Knob

I have recently spent a solid amount of time listening to albums from various bands that call themselves Country, Roots-Rock, and even Alt-Country.  As I listen to these albums, I find myself breaking down each song to analyze the components that make the album fit within the boundaries that the band itself defined by labeling their own work.  There are also the bands that don’t worry about telling you what kind of vibe they are going after, they just go after it and you are able to hear for yourself without the help of a press release or myspace page.  For the bands that blend various styles so seamlessly, it can often prove to be futile to break down each individual element as it can cause one to miss the true big picture that the disc is presenting to its listener.

The Mother Truckers from Austin, TX have indeed crafted an album that forced me to sit down, shut up and appreciate the entire work for what it truly is – a solid, rollicking, Rockin’-Country effort.  Much in the way that Wes Anderson’s film, The Royal Tenenbaum’s is considered by most to be a comedy (a fantastic one at that), the movie contains many elements of heartbreak, sadness, loneliness and even deception.  Even with a bounty of heavier, darker material that formed these characters so vividly, the film shines as a comedic work of art.  This same rule applies to “Let’s All Go to Bed,” The Mother Truckers second disc.  The record boasts some phenomenal Rockers (“Dynamite“, “I’m Comin’ Over“) along with some soulful Honky-Tonkers (“When I Get My Wings“), playful Honky-Tonkers (the title track and “Kaki’s Song“), and even some peaceful Folk-tunes (“Quiet Night” & “Let’s Stay Outside“).  Given this tremendous range of styles, the disc at no point comes off as schizophrenic, rather its identity as a Country-Roadhouse-Rock Champ is clearly defined.

Enough can’t be said about the chemistry of hubby/wife combo Josh Zee and Teal Collins.  Regardless of which spouse is singing lead and who joins in on the harmony, this album is a great example of a band that succeeds in every aspect of recreating the vibe and sounds of their much talked-about live show.  This is apparent within the album’s first four tracks.  These cuts set the tone on hyper-drive as the beats seem to literally jump off the speakers (not literally of course, that would be hard I suppose).  With “I’m Coming Over,” Zee shouts “Let the bombs drop/let the music play/let me do my dance, ’til they blow me away“.  I can’t help but wish it was me that was jumping around at the front of the club, pounding my beer on the stage during one of their gigs.

The Mother Truckers “Let’s All Go to Bed”, joins the new disc from The Band of Heathens (not to mention the upcoming, insanely awesome disc from Reckless Kelly), as prime examples of the high quality talent that the city of Austin continues to showcase on a nightly basis.