The Days of Lore

Old 97’s: The early years

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 | musiX | 1 Comment

Remember alt-country? The Uncle Tupelos, The Jayhawks, the Whiskeytowns and Old 97’s that were going to take over the world the way grunge bands did only a few years before?

While the genre never quite took off the way record labels had probably hoped, some of the bands did all right for themselves … or at least spawned bands that would go on to make some pretty decent twangified noise. From the ashes of Uncle Tupelo came Wilco. Ryan Adams left Whiskeytown to become the much-loved/hated, overly blogged, Mandy Moore-marrying fellow he is today. The Old 97’s? Well, they’re still the Old 97’s … although it’s not exactly the same band it was back in the ’90s.

Before going on to dabble in slick-produced power pop on major label outings like Fight Songs and Satellite Rides, the Old 97’s released Wreck Your Life on Bloodshot Records. It was a perfect fit. Bloodshot—founded in 1994 by Nan Warshaw and Rob Miller—tapped into the energy and spirit of punk rock as well as classic country, releasing records from Alejandro Escovedo, The Bottle Rockets and the Waco Brothers—not to mention Ryan Adams’ 2000 solo debut Heartbreaker, the label’s best-selling album to date.

Bloodshot is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year with the release of Wreck Your Life … and Then Some: The Complete Bloodshot Recordings. The double-disc includes a remastered reissue of the Old 97’s 1995 classic Wreck Your Life, as well as outtakes from the WYL sessions that ended up on 2000’s Early Tracks EP. It’s the first time Wreck Your Life has been released on sweet, sweet vinyl … and just in time for Christmas (wink, wink, nudge, nudge).

Wreck Your Life is arguably the band’s best, a full-throttle ride through sleazy punk rock hubs and Wild West ghost towns—although the pop that would eventually take a front seat in their later output still lurks in the shadows. “W.I.F.E.”—originally released as a 7-inch and later re-recorded for Wreck Your Life—sounds as if it could have been peeled from Buck Owens‘ You’re For Me. There’s even a sunshine-y chorus in the murder ballad “The Other Shoe” where a cheating lover meets her maker by way of “a blue-steel .45.” The song is sandwiched between a couple of cow-punk burners in “Victoria” and “Doreen,” the latter of which wallows in familiar territory of guitarist/vocalist Rhett Miller’s book-smart, forlorn lyrics. In a vast sea of great ’90s records, this one is definitely worth revisiting.

While the Old 97’s 1994 debut Hitchhike to Rhome (released on Dallas indie label Big Iron Records) lacks the energy of WYL, it still captures the band in its fiery youth … back when Bill Monroe and Merle Haggard covers were fair game. “St. Ignatius” and “Hands Off” feel right at home next to covers of Haggard’s “Mama Tried” and Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys’ 1942 classic “Miss Molly,” while the gritty shuffle of “504″ and “If My Heart Was a Car” tap into those ’70s punk influences.

Amazingly, the Old 97’s are still together making records—good ones, too, as 2008’s Blame it On Gravity split the middle between the band’s country and pop eras. Perhaps the Old 97’s longevity is due to the fact that they never made anything that didn’t come naturally … not to mention they always sounded like they were having a lot more fun than most of their contemporaries.

“Victoria” - Old 97’s (Wreck Your Life)

“The Other Shoe” - Old 97’s (Wreck Your Life)

“W.I.F.E.” - Old 97’s (7-inch version)

“504″ - Old 97’s (Hitchhike to Rhome)

Tags: alt-country, Bloodshot Records, Hitchhike to Rhome, Old 97's, Rhett Miller, Ryan Adams, The Bottle Rockets, The Jayhawks, Uncle Tupelo, Waco Brothers, Wilco, Wreck Your Life ... and Then Some

Rhett Miller: An Old 97 starts anew

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 | musiX | No Comments

Those in the know know that I love the Old 97’s—however I’ve never been the biggest fan of vocalist Rhett Miller’s solo work. As I’ve said before Miller needs his bandmates as much as they need him. Obviously the Old 97’s wouldn’t be the same band without his vocals and sardonic wordplay. Likewise, when Miller ventures out on his own—as he has on three records (four if you count his pre-97’s release Mythologies)—he loses some of that twang and grit. Yes, the point is to not sound like the Old 97’s, BUT (there’s always a but) Rhett Miller shouldn’t be making records that sound so … how can I put this—VH1-y.

On his latest solo outing Miller teamed up with Salim Nourallah, who produced (kooky use of apostrophes alert!) the Old 97’s’ Blame It On Gravity album. A good thing. Bells and whistles have been scrapped for warmer, hazier production. It’s not only his best solo record, it’s his most varied. Of course, Miller’s proclivity for Brit-pop is all over songs like “If It’s Not Love” and “Caroline.” But “Happy Birthday Don’t Die” is a sci-fi tale that is sonically the weirdest and most unhinged song he’s ever written, while “Another Girlfriend” finds familiar ground in his band’s outlaw-country leanings. But it’s little things like well-placed hand claps (those in the know also know I’m a sucker for hand claps) along with sweet and understated harmonies, organ and tambourine that make Miller’s pop songs … well, pop.

More important (to me, anyway) is the fact—with the exception of “I Need To Know Where I Stand”—there’s no chance of Miller sidling up to Rob Thomas and Daughtry on some silly countdown. PLUS (there’s always a plus) with this record there seems to be less of a push to showcase that angelic face of his. Although it is angelic, isn’t it?

“Caroline” - Rhett Miller

“Happy Birthday Don’t Die” - Rhett Miller

Tags: Old 97's, Rhett Miller, Salim Nourallah

Rhett Miller was once a Young 97

Monday, March 2nd, 2009 | musiX | 1 Comment

I own both of Rhett Miller’s recent solo albums—full of well-written pop songs with slick production that coulda shoulda woulda worked their way into the VH1 rotation. After hearing them it was obvious that Rhett Miller needs the rest of the Old 97’s, just as they need him. But unless you’re an insane (!) Old 97’s fan, you probably don’t know that 2002’s The Instigator and 2006’s The Believer were not Miller’s first solo efforts …

It was exactly 20 years ago that a young, (even more) fresh-faced 18-year-old named Stewart Ransom Miller II released his first album with the help of future bandmate Murry Hammond. The result was Mythologies, an album filled with youthful angst and odes to fair ladies. Only 1,000 numbered copies were printed, which is probably a good thing … I don’t think Rhett Miller likes to bring it up in interviews.

I had heard of the record, but hadn’t heard any of the songs. I recently found a link to an interview and performance from 1987 on the Old 97’s fan site (via the Dallas Observer). The two-part interview was for a cable access show in Dallas called Hi-Res Diner two years before Mythologies was even released. Miller talks about writing angry songs about ex-girlfriends and his ideas for starting a band (glad he followed through). Now I’m not a violent person, but I have an uncontrollable urge to punch the interviewer in the face. Watch it here.

And check out Miller performing a cover of The Cramps‘ “TV Set” below, along with a couple of selections from Mythologies. Faux-British accents rule.

“Candy Apple Corkscrew Hair” - Rhett Miller (Mythologies)

“Iron Child” - Rhett Miller (Mythologies)

Rhett Miller preforming “TV Set” on Hi-Res Diner in 1987

Tags: Murry Hammond, Mythologies, Old 97's, Rhett Miller, The Believer, The Instigator

The train keeps a gently rollin’

Thursday, October 16th, 2008 | musiX | 1 Comment

I’m an unabashed fan of the Old 97’s, especially their older records (everyone in their right mind should own a copy of Wreck Your Life), and I’m notorious for forcing others to listen, sometimes at gunpoint, until they come around. The band’s latest offering Blame It On Gravity received glowing reviews from loads of mags, rags and blogs … even the tastemakers at Pitchfork called the band’s single “Dance With Me” their best song in years. And to that I say, Fork yes.

But while the band receives the attention, and Rhett Miller puts out solo albums and gets the majority of the camera time, the 97’s other voice, Murry Hammond, has quietly released his first full-length I Don’t Know Where I’m Going But I’m On My Way. There’s no Replacements rawk here. The instrumentation is spare. And Hammond’s deep Texas drawl comes through on plaintive country and gospel songs.

The album is a journey of the spiritual kind, and trains are a common theme here. While most of the Old 97’s catalog mixes well with whiskey, this is a record for cozying up with a glass of red.

“I Believe, I Believe” - Murry Hammond

Tags: Blame It On Gravity, I Don't Know Where I'm Going But I'm On My Way, Murry Hammond, Old 97's, Rhett Miller, Wreck Your Life