Just like with acts such as The .357 String Band, I love it when rough and tumble front-porch pickers get it right. As I’ve said before, here on The Knob, I was getting sick of hearing a ton of alleged punk-flavored string bands act rebellious when they sounded anything but.
I’ve really been enjoying the self titled debut album from Canada’s Moonshine Ramblers (Myspace) lately. To be fair, it’s not a straight-up acoustic or string-based album. The occasional use of drums and even a stratocaster actually give the album a bit of a punch that helps keep the album from veering off into monotony (give “Chicken Skull” a listen for what I’m talking about). Those electro-country touches are nice, but the heart of the album is the ramshackle glory that tracks like the opener, “Way Downtown” provide when the five-piece act gathers around the microphone and belts it all out, together.
LISTEN: “Way Downtown” – Moonshine Ramblers
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LISTEN: “Chicken Skull” – Moonshine Ramblers
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