The Gobblers Knob

I have made no secret about being a proud Texan, and to be even more specific, a proud Dallasite.  What is also anything but a secret is the sizable amount of emerging and quality Folk, Country (“Alt” or otherwise) and even Bluegrass acts that are coming from the D/FW area and it’s neighbor to the north, Denton. Acts such as Sarah Jaffe, The O’s, Blackbird Harmony, 1100 Springs and Doug Burr are prime examples of the excellence that has become rather standard to the area. Dallas’ own Eastwood are also a great example of the great roots tradition in North Texas as evidenced with the release of their new LP, Everything’s Personal.

Much of the disc revolves around the Cali-Country style harmonies of Kevin Minihan and David Heidle.  The harmonies are not where the similarities to the solid gold 70′s vibe ends however.  Gently emotive cries from the steel in “Right Place Wrong Time” and the harmonizing on “Giving Up, Giving In” lend themselves beautifully to remembrances of Buffalo Springfield and the Meisner-era Eagles. There is a good dose of variety in the collection as well.  The amps and the rhythm get cranked up a notch in “Big Blue Sky”.  When the song opens with the lyrics ”Destination nowhere” followed by pedal steel and distorted guitars, you can visualize an updated Peckinpah Western rolling its intro. The disc closes out with a southern-fried “Come Together”.  I am never totally sure it’s well-advised to cover a Beatles song, but at least they make it their own, and fittingly, the upbeat tempo that the Eastwood boys infuse the tune with reminds me of the Eagles hit “Life in the Fast lane”.

Next time you are in Texas for SXSW, ACl or Fun, Fun, Fun Fest, make a little time to stop in Dallas to catch a show.  Austin may have to bring all the talent in (joking), but in Dallas, we can just go down the street to the nearest club to catch a prime set.