I’m certain it struck me after my first listen to Sweet Appalachia by These Mad Dogs of Glory. It usually happens when I become attached to a particular song. I took my copy of the EP with me on a drive, and put on my favorite, “Golden Boy.” That sound, to me, says open road, and who knows what lies ahead. Just keep going.
The Austin-based quartet made their debut with the release of their self-titled EP last year. After a few line-up changes, the band got in some quality recording time with producer Erik Wofford at Cacophony Studios to work on Sweet Appalachia. (Some of their work on “Appalachian Funk 1” and “2” was documented in a fantastic video by Onion Creek Productions.) Overall, it’s just the right combination of rock and twang, what pairing rock ‘n’ roll and country should sound like. And there really is something about the music that invokes a feeling of being on the road, perhaps the longing you might experience with a long stretch of highway ahead of you. Interestingly, songwriter Ryan O’Sullivan said that making the EP was a way “to recapture the love of growing up in New England, dealing with the death of a loved one, and accept a life living on the road.”
So, you must know by now, this is one of my favorite local bands ever. These Mad Dogs of Glory played Lamberts, 401 W. 2nd St, on December 13th. Los Angeles folk-rockers The Cerny Brothers shared the bill. Recommended.
AMM-Dec-13th-2012 << Download
