Chip Robinson’s Backsliders were one of Raleigh, NC’s big alt-country three (the other two being Kenny Roby‘s Six String Drag and of course Ryan Adam’s Whiskeytown) during the 1995-1999 glory days. After releasing two fantastic but underappreciated albums (Throwin’ Rocks at the Moon and Southern Lines) the Backsliders disbanded and Robinson basically disappeared until resurfacing briefly in 2010 with Mylow.
Opening for Michael Rank and Stag’s In The Weeds Album Release show at The Kraken, Robinson hopped onto the small stage wearing a knit cap and large glasses looking more like the guitar tech roadie than the anticipated performer. But when he plugged in his electric guitar Robinson morphed into an alt-country Billy Bragg banging out a (too) short solo set of a few Backsliders tunes including “Throwin’ Rock at the Moon” and several tracks I did not recognize which I assume were from Mylow (which appears to have disappeared from all legal and illegal music download sites when the label folded-anyone know where I can get a copy?). The voice is still strong, and his time in NYC and more recently Austin, Texas have not faded his recognizable Southern drawl or dry sense of humor. The reunited Backsliders have played a few recent shows in Raleigh giving faithful fans hope for a third Backsliders’ disc, another Chip Robinson disc or better yet, both!
Here’s a nice video, acoustic, but it gives you a feel of what you missed at The Kraken.
And here’s a video for “The Surrender” from the headliner Michael Rank and Stag’s new disc.
