Country and Eastern

Screw it, let's go daily starting right now.  The day after Thanksgiving starts in with our Holiday insanity, but we've ignored too many great records over the past year with our glacial pace, so let's see what we can fit in over the next month and a half in addition to our Xmas blowout.

Gonna kick it off with a new disc by the wonderfully named Girl Haggard (get it?).   The record's called Country And Eastern, and it's exactly the kind of booze-fueled hootch'n'hayride hootenanny we love so dearly here at the 'Mountain.

According to their bio Girl Haggard were "formed in December 2008, in order to give its members something to do while drinking, other than stand around in barrooms. Girl Haggard’s goals were simple, and easily attained; play rock n roll and country music, loud and fast (while drinking beer and whiskey)."

The band reminds us of early Bloodshot, when the label featured the go-for-broke punkass hillbilly that paid it's dues in hardscrabble shit-kickin' and honky hangovers.  And that's a goddam compliment.

The songs on "Country And Eastern" are full of alcohol, regret, and defiance, at once sly winkin' and pickup-truck ready, full throttle  tavern-smoked vintage,  loaded and brawlin'.  Lead singer Mandy Allen is the Loretta Lynn of the trailerpark, full of kiss-offs and fuck-ups, a yowling yodel of a voice.  Guitarist Adam Theroux slings off greasy fried chunks of country-seared chug-a-lug. The whole damn mess is the best diner skillet you ever had, flavored, of course, with a hearty dose of bourbon.

The song titles say it all:  "Drunk, Broke and In Love (The Hank Shuffle)", "Early and Often", "Pick Up Lines", and "Thinkin' About Drinkin'", to name a few.  On the song "Modern Lovers", the band give their best "(We're Not The ) Jet Set",  with Mandy Allen intoning:

"Drunk enough to wake up next to you
Listen to your tired lies of always being true 
Wish I could be stronger and find a love that's new
Instead of being drunk enough, to wake up next to you."

It's a great song, on an album full of 'em.

This is the kind of band we wanna hear every damn night we're out at the bar, downing tall boys and long necks.  Hell, this may be the best drinkin' record you'll hear all year.  


Girl Haggard: Modern Lovers (mp3)

Please support yr local, independent honky tonks.  Whatever's left of 'em.