Everything from banjo picking and fiddle-driven bluegrass to traditional country and straight-up rock (or something very close to it) turns up on See Rock City is the Shiners’ second album in as many years.
Husband and wife collaborators Wes and Jyl Freed — both of whom were members of the hillbilly-soul band Dirtball — take turns fronting this seven-piece band from Richmond, Virginia, and their different styles (and genders) make for an eclectic group of songs. Wes croons confidently on the record’s uptempo numbers, and Jyl warbles like a latter-day Loretta Lynn on the slower songs.
Two tracks in particular — “Hurricane Blues” and “Time For One More” — are indicative of the Shiners’ range. The first is fast and loud, as the entire band — which also includes Erin Snyder on fiddle, Brian Larson on drums, husband and wife Steve and Teresa Douglas on guitars, and Greg Harrup on bass — joins in for a raucous three minutes. “The sky went black and the rain started fallin’,” sing Wes and Jyl together, “like a nine pound hammer on a mountain fulla coal.”
Conversely, “Time For One More” is a quiet and contemplative song about booze and bad luck. With understated banjo parts from Teresa Douglas and wonderful vocal harmonies, it’s a standout track on a stellar record.