Continuing on the path of albums not quite good enough to crack my year-end list, today’s entry is Rebels, Rogues, and Sworn Brothers by Lucero. Calling to mind the best of the Drive-By Truckers, this is southern roots-rock like it was meant to be done.
This track is the clear highlight: ragged, driving, and powerful enough to shake you to the bones. I know the cool thing these days is to praise The Hold Steady for bringing rock back to its roots, but this song could kick the ass of any song on Boys and Girls in America, and still have enough energy to beat up Ryan Adams just for kicks.
Unfortunately, the rest of the album fails to match up to this promise, with a few too many consecutive gritty rockers that fail to distinguish themselves in the second half.
Still, none of them are bad, and they do set the stage for the somber two-punch finale of “On the Way Back Home” and “She Wake When She Dreams.” The former gives the album its climax, with a slow start that erupts into a ragged burst of fire, and the latter provides the requisite tender denouement.
On these softer numbers, I can’t help but think of Shane MacGowan of the Pogues. There’s a lot of space between the American South and Ireland, but it just goes to show that drunken bawlers are the same the world ’round.
Tomorrow I’ll talk about politics and then get to the really important stuff on Wednesday, with the first installment of my year-end lists.