South Austin Jug Band has found itself. They have always been talented and creative song-writers. However, they were stuck somewhere between traditional and contemporary acoustic music. They were too much on the fence. With Strange Invitation they have created self-described “progressive – acoustic” music. Maybe this clear break was due to the fact that the band holed up in First Church of Folk, The Chelsea Hotel in NYC to write the songs. Whatever the reason, they have established themselves as premier avant-garde acoustic musicians. The problem is their name now belies their sound. No jugs here. In fact, there are even some electric instruments and a cool cover of Beck’s “Jackass”, from which the title comes.
The album has a smooth flowing vibe that the listener can ride from beginning to end. The smooth melodies are the glue that holds everything together. The creative song-writing is the same as on past records even though the music is fully contemporary. The go to tracks are “Come to Me,” “Fall So Fast” and “Po’ Boys in a Glovebox.” This is the breakout album for SAJB but it is far from the end of their journey.
Check out Jackass
This review also appears on Amber Waves of Twang
About the author: Chip and his family live in Birmingham, AL. Roll Tide!