New West
½
This is practically perfect cow-punk from Rhett Miller and the gang – 13 tracks of power-punk energy with a country twang. Jeff Tweedy aside, Miller is the best young songwriter to spring from alt-country.
This tidy collection has Miller's husky vocals spread over themes of love and lost love. It has a poppy feel to it, but doesn't ignore the band's punk foundation. But let's not confuse Old 97's with blink 182. Miller's three-chord garage tunes carry a healthy dose of country twang that makes him a logical step in alt-country's evolution from Gram Parsons rock after punk kicked up the heat.
DOWNLOAD THIS: “Dance With Me”
– T. MICHAEL CROWELL
