Come Along

Drenched in alternative country and roots rock, this trio has created a great album with each song standing on its own quite well. The opening "The Reason Why" brings to mind the Jayhawks or Son Volt, while each musician gets to shine in a brief instrumental bridge. The song also has a definitive twang to it but not one that would put the listener off. The subsequent title track has a marching drumbeat and a simple yet lovable narrative that could be mistaken for Townes Van Zandt. There is an Americana element to most of the songs in the vein of Steve Earle or Bruce Springsteen, particularly on the gorgeous "Over the Line." While the vocals could use a bit of polish in certain songs, it's the roughness that only adds its attraction. Slower tracks such as "West Side Blues" and "The Motherlode," perhaps the best on the record, have a solitary and reflective feeling to them in the vein of the Cash Brothers or a country-era Rolling Stones. "Everything Must Go" consists of the standard honky tonk blueprint, but still has a certain freshness to it. If there is one song that appears to lose its direction, it's "Better Than Nothing." Despite having a nice lap steel guitar, the song is a bit stale compared to others here. Influences such as the Statler Brothers can be easily recognized in the gospel-tinged "Where Will You Love?" Only on "The Fine Line," a typical roots rock arrangement, does the band sound like its forcing the song along. But that negative is quickly forgotten when listening to "Rain Comes Down," a track Mike Ness could have a possible hit with. One of the more enjoyable 40 minutes of alternative country you'll hear.