In today’s crowded field of twangy-rock bands that aspire to be something greater than a glorified Skynyrd tribute band, all-too few of those bands ever actually break out. Chances are slim that a certain new or little known band will produce something that really sets them apart from being just another southern rock band that doesn’t have Mike Cooley, Ben Nichols or Patterson Hood writing and performing their songs. With their most recent release, Singlewide, The Dexateens have done just that, and as a result, the guys from Tuscaloosa have prodcued a disc that will likely make the various Jack Daniels swilling, rebel flag waving clones think about working up a new version of something other than “Gimme Three Steps”.
To paraphrase a stupid beer ad campaign, this album has an immense listenability from beginning to end. The loose, jangly and various acoustic arrangements contained on the album have much to with that listenability. With each track flowing nicely from one to the next, the album never speeds up too fast with over the top hard-charging, nor does the disc stall with unnecessary meandering. Make no mistake, this is a Southern-Rock record, how can it not be with the harmonized drawls of John Smith and Elliot McPherson. “Granddaddy’s Mouth” and “Caption” are great examples of the loose, but never cavalier, feel that the album’s pace conveys. Singlewide represents a band that is looking to expand their horizons, and not merely hoping to fit comfortably within a prearranged template set forth by their Sweet Home bretheren.
LISTEN TO SONGS FROM SINGLEWIDE ON THE DEXATEENS MYSPACE PAGE
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[...] Mixing tunes from both their Lost and Found record and this year’s Singlewide (a record that I really loved, by the way), they rocked and bounced all over the stage, eliciting the loudest cheers that I have [...]