Various Artists – Revival: Brunswick Stew & Pig Pickin
Given North Carolinas increasing reputation as Ground Zero for new country-rock bands, its hardly surprising that The Old North State dominates Revival (billed as a compilation of the Southeasts Hottest Bands), with 11 of 17 selections.
Indeed, if youve been following No Depression since its inception, this is practically a regional Southeastern sampler for the magazine. Six of these acts have been the subject of Town & Country profiles, while another four have been included in other reviews or stories.
Revival compares favorably to Bloodshot Records Insurgent Country compilations, hitting a nice balance between teasers from bands youll be hearing more from soon and selections that should send you in search of the single-artist albums they came from. Chief among the latter are selections by Tarheel acts Trailer Bride, Mercury Dime, the Backs_liders and Tweaker, plus the very fine South Carolina singer Danielle Howle and Atlantas Vi_dalias. One measure of these acts overall quality is that Revival doesnt even cherry-pick the best songs from each, yet is still darned fine.
As for the previews of more and better things to come: Let Me Be Your Fool by Two Dollar Pistols, featuring the incomparable, low-and-lonesome Roger Miller-esque vocal stylings of John Howie (look for an album this summer on the indie label Hep Cat); the lovely pure pop of Lets Active spinoff Glory Foun_tains Follow Me So, which should be available soon on the album Blame Love; and the Pinetops first commercially available recording, the apocalyptic Birds of Prey.
If theres a drawback to Revival, its that two of the most prominent acts on it arent particularly well-represented. Not that either Whiskeytowns Guns to Town or 6 String Drags Off With Your Head are bad. Both songs are, however, so old theyre no longer really representative of either band. The Whiskey_town cut is on Rural Free Delivery, an collection of early tracks tentatively due out on Mood Food Records in May, while Off With Your Head comes from 6 String Drags 1994 album. Both bands should have vastly better full-length albums out later this year.
But thats part of the charm of this particular artifact that it serves as a snapshot of not just a region, but also a moment. While it doesnt give a complete picture of Southeastern country-rock, no picture would be complete without it, either.