Disclaimer: I love this band! Played their music at my wedding, used one of their songs (“Happy”) from their standout album, Dustbowl Lover, as a backing to my digital wedding album, so I am far from a neutral, disinterested reviewer.
That being said, this album, entitled Crackerjack Whistle, had a lot to live up to. Two fantastic previous albums, a must-see live show, burgeoning media coverage. And not surprisingly they come out swinging with a firecracker of a leadoff song, “Marionette.” Written by Bill Spagnardi, this song channels, to my ear, a little bit of Ryan Adam’s “Two,” to great effect, and Steve Celestini’s powerful, and seemingly effortless (if you’ve ever seen him live you’d know what I’m talking about), voice compliments the musical backing. The inclusion of the pedal steel guitar sends the song into the brilliant category.
Thankfully, the group decided to enhance their own compositions with a couple of covers, “Time of the Season” and “Wagon Wheel,” both which usually find their way into their live shows. I’m still waiting for a studio version of “Windfall,” but …
The Gravy Boys play true to their self-described acoustic americana style and the results are compelling. If you like americana music, and some of the drinking songs that are a vital part of that territory, you will absolutely love this album.
Standout Tracks: “Marionette,” “Firefly” & “40 Extra Hours”
This album’s a keeper!
Head on over to the band’s website and buy their cd here.
This review was first posted over at A Fool On Every Corner.
