THE LOWDOWN DRIFTERS -
LAST CALL FOR DREAMERS
2019 - Self released
Whilst this tremendous album can be filed as 'country music,' anyone looking for a sub genre will find their search fraught with difficulties. Why would anyone want to find a sub genre? For the simple reason that none of us really know what 'country music' is; everyone having a different definition. It would be just as easy to describe the Lowdown Drifters as a 'classic honky tonk' band; there certainly is honky tonk in their makeup, but there is so much more to their expansive music and songs.
The 'Drifters' formed in 2015 and consist of John Cannon on lead vocals and acoustic Guitar, Ryan Klein, guitar and vocals, Darin Jones plays lead guitar and vocals, Richard Williams, bass and vocals Galen Bailey is on drums.
This is the Lowdown Drifters first full length (thirteen tracks) album although there was an excellent six song 'mini' album back in 2016 entitled 'Wood and water.' Of the songs, six each were written by Ryan Klein and John Cannon, the fact that there are two songwriters of such quality certainly augurs well for the future in spreading the pressures of the writing responsibilities. The alert will have noticed I said there are thirteen tracks but I'm not sure who wrote the albums final track Empty bottles. All of the songs are laden with more than enough melodic hooks to sate listeners who prefer 'mainstream country' but at the same time are powerful and 'edgy' enough for we who like things to be rooted in reality and most importantly, without recourse to sanitization of everything. In fact there is also a powerful rock element in the bands musical makeup, making the seeking of labels pretty much pointless and irrelevant.
There is so much talent in this lineup that they pull off just about everything they try, despite my occasionally thinking the sound on some songs seemed a little dense, almost, but not quite, overpowering the vocals. Sometimes the little nuances and subtleties in a song can be lost in a 'wall of sound' although that does seem to be pretty rare on this album, even on the songs that I initially felt were a little too 'busy.' It is a recording that creates interchangeable moods; songs that may not appeal on some days will on another, all being interchangeable to suit the listener's requirements, in a manner of speaking (writing)!
John Cannon's lead vocals are deep, incredibly expressive and full of a 'twangy' classic country feeling. There is often a hardness of tone and yet the melodic quality is always there, whilst where necessary, there is also tenderness and restraint throughout not only his vocals but all of the work of this tremendous band.
Red rock opens the album with John Cannon's strong, melodic, lead vocal supported by a gorgeous dobro before the rest of the band come in with percussion, bass and guitars on an excellent country song that includes plenty of rock elements without ever losing its rural roots thanks in the main to the lyrics, dobro and classic country vocal on a song that would 'knock 'em flat' in any 'honky tonk' bar around. Some haunting guitar tones allied to the dobro kick off Won't find me anymore, an excellent guitar drenched ballad that at first seems too dense but after a few listens things open up and the sound adds an additional layer of haunting drama to the song that name checks some of the greats of the 1970s country 'outlaw' movement, a genre this band could slot seamlessly into. On Last night in Denver a lovely fiddle and acoustic guitar open the song, leading to a 'pure' country lead vocal before percussion, dobro and guitars come into the mix on this earworm of a song that tells a story of 'life on the road.' Many have written such songs but few if any have bettered this excellent arrangement, lyrics and performance. When the vocals take a break the slide guitar solo ups the drama a further notch with the vocals coming back in and the song reaching its great crescendo before tailing off. Between the bottom and the bottle opens with a gorgeous restrained acoustic and steel guitar with John Cannon's expressive vocal coming in, proving this band can do tender with as much feeling and commitment as anyone, and more than most. The metronomic percussion carries the song along on a tale that is full of power and atmosphere and I'd be surprised if one of the Nashville 'big hitters' don't pick up on the song, although on reflection the same could be said for virtually every song on this album that reveals more with each listening session. In fact I could have done with more listening sessions to really try to describe this excellent collection of songs. Finally, Barstools is a blend of classic country rock and honky tonk that further cements this bands extraordinary skills in writing, performing and blending just about every offshoot of country music and turning it into something unique and highly engaging. Those are just a few of the songs from the album but really it wouldn't have mattered which song selection I had used. They are all of an imperious quality!
There is plenty of 'classic country' and at the same time more than enough of a rock attitude to suit everyone. There is also much in the work of this band that could be labeled 'outlaw country' were it not for the fact their work is even more expansive. We often talk about a band 'promising much for the future' but this band whilst doing that is actually delivering right now!
http://www.thelowdowndrifters.com/
Whilst this tremendous album can be filed as 'country music,' anyone looking for a sub genre will find their search fraught with difficulties. Why would anyone want to find a sub genre? For the simple reason that none of us really know what 'country music' is; everyone having a different definition. It would be just as easy to describe the Lowdown Drifters as a 'classic honky tonk' band; there certainly is honky tonk in their makeup, but there is so much more to their expansive music and songs.
The 'Drifters' formed in 2015 and consist of John Cannon on lead vocals and acoustic Guitar, Ryan Klein, guitar and vocals, Darin Jones plays lead guitar and vocals, Richard Williams, bass and vocals Galen Bailey is on drums.
This is the Lowdown Drifters first full length (thirteen tracks) album although there was an excellent six song 'mini' album back in 2016 entitled 'Wood and water.' Of the songs, six each were written by Ryan Klein and John Cannon, the fact that there are two songwriters of such quality certainly augurs well for the future in spreading the pressures of the writing responsibilities. The alert will have noticed I said there are thirteen tracks but I'm not sure who wrote the albums final track Empty bottles. All of the songs are laden with more than enough melodic hooks to sate listeners who prefer 'mainstream country' but at the same time are powerful and 'edgy' enough for we who like things to be rooted in reality and most importantly, without recourse to sanitization of everything. In fact there is also a powerful rock element in the bands musical makeup, making the seeking of labels pretty much pointless and irrelevant.
There is so much talent in this lineup that they pull off just about everything they try, despite my occasionally thinking the sound on some songs seemed a little dense, almost, but not quite, overpowering the vocals. Sometimes the little nuances and subtleties in a song can be lost in a 'wall of sound' although that does seem to be pretty rare on this album, even on the songs that I initially felt were a little too 'busy.' It is a recording that creates interchangeable moods; songs that may not appeal on some days will on another, all being interchangeable to suit the listener's requirements, in a manner of speaking (writing)!
John Cannon's lead vocals are deep, incredibly expressive and full of a 'twangy' classic country feeling. There is often a hardness of tone and yet the melodic quality is always there, whilst where necessary, there is also tenderness and restraint throughout not only his vocals but all of the work of this tremendous band.
Red rock opens the album with John Cannon's strong, melodic, lead vocal supported by a gorgeous dobro before the rest of the band come in with percussion, bass and guitars on an excellent country song that includes plenty of rock elements without ever losing its rural roots thanks in the main to the lyrics, dobro and classic country vocal on a song that would 'knock 'em flat' in any 'honky tonk' bar around. Some haunting guitar tones allied to the dobro kick off Won't find me anymore, an excellent guitar drenched ballad that at first seems too dense but after a few listens things open up and the sound adds an additional layer of haunting drama to the song that name checks some of the greats of the 1970s country 'outlaw' movement, a genre this band could slot seamlessly into. On Last night in Denver a lovely fiddle and acoustic guitar open the song, leading to a 'pure' country lead vocal before percussion, dobro and guitars come into the mix on this earworm of a song that tells a story of 'life on the road.' Many have written such songs but few if any have bettered this excellent arrangement, lyrics and performance. When the vocals take a break the slide guitar solo ups the drama a further notch with the vocals coming back in and the song reaching its great crescendo before tailing off. Between the bottom and the bottle opens with a gorgeous restrained acoustic and steel guitar with John Cannon's expressive vocal coming in, proving this band can do tender with as much feeling and commitment as anyone, and more than most. The metronomic percussion carries the song along on a tale that is full of power and atmosphere and I'd be surprised if one of the Nashville 'big hitters' don't pick up on the song, although on reflection the same could be said for virtually every song on this album that reveals more with each listening session. In fact I could have done with more listening sessions to really try to describe this excellent collection of songs. Finally, Barstools is a blend of classic country rock and honky tonk that further cements this bands extraordinary skills in writing, performing and blending just about every offshoot of country music and turning it into something unique and highly engaging. Those are just a few of the songs from the album but really it wouldn't have mattered which song selection I had used. They are all of an imperious quality!
There is plenty of 'classic country' and at the same time more than enough of a rock attitude to suit everyone. There is also much in the work of this band that could be labeled 'outlaw country' were it not for the fact their work is even more expansive. We often talk about a band 'promising much for the future' but this band whilst doing that is actually delivering right now!
http://www.thelowdowndrifters.com/