If Uncle Tupelo had taken themselves less seriously they would have been Whiskey and Co. Oh yeah, and Jay Farrar would had to have been a woman.
Some bands are just fun. They express their joy in their music and it’s a beautiful thing. Whiskey and Co. is one of those bands. Their latest effort, Rust Colors, rocks and rolls through revved up country songs and embraces that whole cosmic Americana music thing more than Tupelo ever did. They veer closer to classic country than many of their ‘alt. country’ brethren, but the bright and bouncy electric guitars and punk rock delivery belly the more traditional approach.
The cover of John Prine’s classic duet with Iris Dement “In Spite of Ourselves†is perfect for the two vocalist in the band. Front woman Kim Helm is the lead vocalist, but Brian Johnson is great on background vocals recalling some of the best duo-vocalist like Louris-Olson and Gram-Emmylou. Though Helm can lean towards Natalie Merchant like inflections in her voice, the music never leaves its country rock gloriousness. It’s easy to see why Lucero and their ilk are big fans. I now am.
Plus they have a song called “Beer For…..†(breakfeast, lunchfest, dinnerfest), which with its chorus of “I want to drink beer all day long†is quickly becoming my anthem.
RIYL:Â Tupelo, Jayhawks, Gram, Emmy, Lucero, Those Darlins
About the author: Specializes in Dead, Drunk, and Nakedness..... Former College Radio DJ and Current Craft Beer Nerd