Hot Club Of Cowtown – Ghost Train

If there is one thing about the Hot Club Of Cowtown that’s been bothersome over the years, it’s that they have never really captured their live sound on record. In the flesh, the trio is an impressive force, full of energy, with stunning musical chops and the ability to play jazz, folk and country with just the right amount of precision and heart.

On Ghost Train, their fourth album, they have teamed up with producer Gurf Morlix, and the combination sets off fireworks. Morlix is on a particular hot streak as of late, helping artists such as Robert Earl Keen, Slaid Cleaves, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Mary Gauthier make some of the best records of their careers.

He works the same kind of magic here, as the Hot Club — guitarist Whit Smith, violinist Elana Fremerman, and the new guy, bassist Jake Erwin — have simply never sounded this good on disc. They’re still creating the same inspired combination of jazz, swing and fiddle tunes, and even throw in a coy cover of Aerosmith’s “Chip Away The Stone”. The band’s many fans are sure to be thrilled, and if you are not familiar with one of Austin’s finest, Ghost Train is an excellent place to get started.