American Gun - Dark Southern Hearts

American Gun is a Columbia, SC-based rock group that wears their love of country music on their sleeve. Ranging from straight-ahead rock and roll (circa early-1970s Stones) to more laid-back roots rock with prominent steel guitar and piano, their debut album Dark Southern Hearts shows a wide range of musical interests while retaining a strong focus on the rock that is at the heart of their style. Unlike some rockers drawing from country sounds, American Gun plays a perfect middle ground in their use of sounds normally associated with country music. They aren't cute or clever with their country allusions, but neither are they reverent. Rather, their calls to country music serve simply to flesh out their rock and roll sound without transforming it into something new. Listen to how the fiddle and banjo in "Drowning Ship," instead of turning the song into a country song, serve the needs of the song as a rock song.

Listen:
American Gun - Drowning Ship

Buy:
From American Gun
From emusic

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Nothing But the Water

When I first got this CD by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals in the mail, I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to the scope of what I review. But after several listens, I've decided that not only is it appropriate, but that it actually highlights the cross-generic interplay which I really like and which I feel is vital to so-called roots music.

After listening to this album three times through, I'm still having trouble deciding what genre I would classify the album as. It ranges in influence from the searing vocals of Janis Joplin, to the roots funk of the Band, to the soft and smooth vocals of Norah Jones, to the (almost annoyingly) catchy pop-funk of Maroon 5. While several songs combine many influences, several are also more easily discernible as a specific genre. The album hangs together remarkably well, though, having such a variety of style incorporated.

I think the song I'm including does a good job of showing the breadth of influence. The main guitar riff is Delta blues by way of Dire Straits era Mark Knopfler; the organ almost takes us to church; and the drummer doesn't refuse to use the fundamental drumming he learned in marching band.

Listen:
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Joey

Buy:
From Amazon

Soda and His Million Piece Band - Soda

I first heard about Soda and His Million Piece Band through the now-defunct podcast The Outhouse. They play some pretty gritty punk-influenced Americana/blues, complete with accordion, bari sax, and every kind of string instrument you can think of. The mix of instruments is really great and doesn't have the novelty to it that, say, my previous post the White Ghost Shivers has. The vocals are very course; I'm guessing they were recorded with a harmonica bullet mic.

This band is based in LA and hasn't traveled anywhere near me, which is understandable with a varying lineup of anywhere from 8 to 16 musicians. Their website said they were as SXSW and I wish they'd make their way up I-35 next time they're in Texas.

Listen:
Soda and His Million Piece Band - July.mp3

Buy:
From CD Baby