Old 97's Albums (8)
'The Blame It on Gravity'
Release Date 5/13/2008
Tracks 13
Label New West
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
After issuing several albums of rural, ramshackle twang, the Old 97's hit their stride with 1997's Too Far To Care, a record that fused pop flourishes with roadhouse country flavor. That fusion never quite left, but it became tempered over the years -- tempered by the band's hasty exit from Elektra Records in 2001, by Rhett Miller's subsequent solo career, and by the onset of fatherhood and middle age. Refreshingly, the Old 97's returned to that sonic sweet spot with Blame It on Gravity, a mature record that boasts the same combination that made Too Far to Care an ideal pop album for people in cowboy boots (or the perfect country album for those who'd never heard of Lyle Lovett and Gram Parsons). The album's timing was impeccable, arriving during the same spring that saw the final issue of No Depression Magazine -- which, incidentially, featured a story on the band -- as well as a nostalgic, reissued edition of Whiskeytown's Stranger's Almanac. Both were bittersweet reminders that alt country's golden days had faded into twilight, making the Old 97's all the more commendable for weathering the industry's changing tastes. Blame It On Gravity owes much of its strength to Rhett Miller, an able-voiced frontman whose lyrics brim with internal rhymes and character sketches. In the Spanish-tinged "Dance with Me" (a close cousin to Fight Songs' "What We Talk About"), he steps into the role of a foreign lover, enticing an American tourist to show him her night moves before jumping into the role of her cuckolded husband. Beneath the storyline, guitars crunch and cymbals crash courtesy of Miller's three bandmates: bassist Murry Hammond, the group's bespectacled elder statesman and a contributor to some of Gravity's finest cuts (including the Beatles-inspired "My Two Feet"); drummer Philip Peeples, who pummels the snare with a rhythmic, horse-hooved stomp, and lead guitarist Ken Bethea, a controlled flurry of guitar pedals, cowpunk riffs, and spiky facial hair. Together, the Old 97's pepper their seventh studio effort with a familiar mix of rock songs, mature ballads, and the shuffling midtempo numbers that fall somewhere between both camps. Of particular note are "She Loves the Sunset," a breezy '50s-styled gem with tropical island flair, and the cozily atmospheric "Color of a Lonely Heart Is Blue," one of Murry Hammond's most moving and heartbreaking compositions to date. Such mellow tracks rub shoulders with the album's full-tilt rock numbers -- "Ride," "Early Morning," "The One," "The Fool," -- all of them delivered with the confidence of a band who's been there, done that, and stayed together while lesser groups split at the seams. No track quite approaches the breakneck pace of 1997's "Timebomb," but that's a minor quibble for a band who continues to remain earnest, fine-tuned, and wholly significant after 15 years of barroom rock & roll. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
In his liner notes to this album, Old 97's guitarist Ken Bethea writes, "When I think of the Old 97's, the thing that makes me the most proud is that we've always been a smoking live band." Anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing the Old 97's on-stage knows that Bethea isn't just blowing his own horn when he says that, and this double-disc set offers the hard evidence to back him up. Recorded during a pair of hot and sweaty 2005 shows in the band's home state of Texas, Alive & Wired captures the raw and nervy intensity and the passionate fusion of Friday Night joy and heartbroken regret that have always marked the band's best work, and features 30 of the band's best tunes over the course of 112 rollicking minutes. The set list makes for a pretty good "Old 97's Greatest Hits" package (with some splendid rarities thrown in, most notably the superb early single "Crying Drunk"), and the straightforward, well-detailed recording and mix allows some of the tunes that suffered from the flawed production of Too Far to Care and Fight Songs to get the fair hearing they've long deserved. The Old 97's sound a wee bit loose on this set, but the band is never less than enthusiastic, with Ken Bethea's guitar barking proudly, Rhett Miller and Murray Hammond in fine voice, and Hammond and Philip Peeples holding down the backbeat with uncluttered grace. Quite simply, Alive & Wired captures a great band on a great night, and with the band seemingly in a transitional state (as Rhett Miller focuses more time on his solo career and Bethea, Hammond, and Peeples have begun performing as the West Texas Teardrops), it's a good thing that this set documents them in their pure state while that's still possible. Crack open a cold drink and turn it up -- it's the next best thing to being there. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
"You're a bottle cap away from pushin' me too far," sings Rhett Miller on the title track of Old 97's' Drag It Up, and those who hold the band near and dear to their hearts will be overjoyed to hear that the album just gets more heartbroke after that. "Won't Be Home" is a headfirst leap into the group's trademark sound -- with a fiery blast of Ken Bethea's Telecaster and a dirty stumble from Philip Peeples' kit, the first song rips through Miller's familiar croon buoyed by bassist Murry Hammond's bright harmonies. This earthy return to form will be welcomed by those who thought their last album, Satellite Rides, and Miller's solo excursion were too slick, and if anything, it seems as though the boys took special care to keep some raw edges on the recording. On the rock numbers, Bethea's guitar frequently bursts beautifully into the red, tearing holes in the already volatile structure of the song, and on occasion the drums mischievously threaten to rattle the whole train off the tracks, but like the hero in an old kinetoscope, the whole band swoops down in the nick of time to rescue the damsel tied to the tracks. A handful of the songs are rumored to be from a Ranchero Brothers album that Miller and Hammond have been threatening to complete for years, and a few of the more straightforward countrified numbers, like "Blinding Sheets of Rain," "Bloomington," and the breathy "In the Satellite Rides a Star," are likely candidates. Ken Bethea offers his lead vocals for the first time on the slightly goofy but engaging Tex-Mex shuffle "Coahuila," which may not fit exactly in the round hole of the album, but offers a light smile amidst the bombast and heartbreak of the rest of the songs. Drag It Up culminates in a sparse and haunting ode to an Austin pal who was killed by a drunk driver, and while a "tribute" song could induce eye-rolling and saccharine gagging, Old 97's keep it simple and heartfelt, and it ends the evening perfectly. Overall, through the last decade it seems as though the band has not lost a whit of their spark, and while they may have traded in some of their youthful punk rock spastic enthusiasm, they've replaced it with a world-wise wit and a smart approach to how a rock & roll record should be made in 2004. Their sly references and sad-sack tales might sound alternately cocky or corny if the band didn't back up their words with a strong right hook and a pawn shop handkerchief to wipe away the tears, and as the album is "gettin' smaller in the rear view mirror," the first impulse is to turn the car around and drive right back through the whole thing again. ~ Zac Johnson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Moving even further away from their alt-country roots, the Old 97's fifth effort is a consistently engaging and unpretentious strummy power pop nugget. Bits of the effortless hook-driven approach of Marshall Crenshaw and Nick Lowe mesh with winning melodies that stick in your skull after the first spin. Hints of Brit Invasion Beatles/Badfinger-styled harmonies also infiltrate these songs, bringing a crisp vocal attack to play, especially in bassist Murray Hammond's subtle backing work. Guitarist/singer/songwriter Rhett Miller has honed his composing and arrangement skills to a fine edge, cramming these compact cuts (nothing runs over four minutes, most clock in around three) with smart lyrics and sharp, unaffected playing. There's still a little twang remaining from the old days in the driving double-time "Am I Too Late," and even a solo acoustic guitar ballad in "Question," but the band seems most comfortable pounding out crafty, infectious instant singles like "Rollerskate Skinny." Miller's voice is perfect for these songs, mixing just the right amount of pride, innocence, and youthful exuberance into the predominantly upbeat lyrics. But just as importantly, there's a presence and immediacy to Satellite Rides, partially due to the expert touch of mixer Tchad Blake, that makes it jump out of the speakers like the locomotive that provides the band with its name. Deftly incorporating their Texas roots with yodeling and a snappy punch makes "Up the Devil's Pay" one of the disc's most successful tracks, but there really isn't a lackluster performance here. The six-song live bonus EP that came free with early pressings proves how skillful the quartet is in concert, and that their biting, cohesive style is no studio-concocted fluke. The Old 97's sound is organic and natural, and on Satellite Rides they find the perfect balance between their roots in rugged country and pure chiming pop. ~ Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Texas troubadours Old 97's moved farther away from their traditional C&W sound on their 1999 release, Fight Songs, instead incorporating warmly distorted guitars and crunchy rhythms into their brash pop songs. Thankfully for fans of the band, the terrific songwriting is still there, but the sound is a little more polished than the twang-a-billy bombast of their previous album, Too Far to Care. The heavy grit of the lead track, "Jagged," is augmented by Rhett Miller and Murray Hammond's bright vocals, whereas the rhumba stylings of "What We Talk About" slinks along like two strangers locked in a tango. Songs seem more thoroughly constructed this time around, relying less on pure bravado and more on structure. That works well for the most part, but there's something lacking that was unrelenting and instantly likable in their previous release. That being said, Fight Songs is still a bright and worthwhile album with as many strong songs as any of their releases. ~ Zac Johnson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Serving as the ideal apex between the Old 97's' Texas twang and smart pop fascinations, Too Far to Care is instantly catchy and endearing, channeling heartbreaking desert soul and punk-fueled swagger all at the same time. Chief songwriter Rhett Miller turns a phrase like a doorknob and opens doors to dusty barrooms and tattered bedrooms, both containing the same boozy characters in various states of emotional undress. The initial blast of "Timebomb" carries through the first three songs, relenting finally in the breathy croon of "Salome," accented warmly by bassist Murry Hammond's light harmonies and guitarist Ken Bethea's airy tremolo-heavy guitar. Other highlights include the high-speed chase of "Melt Show," the reckless surge of "House That Used to Be," and their confident re-recording of "Big Brown Eyes" (originally appearing on their 1995 album Wreck Your Life). Throughout the album, Miller's swooning howl aches with too many miles on the road and too many lonely nights -- familiar topics to be sure, but he still manages to tackle them like he invented heartache. The curse of Old 97's may be that country fans consider it too rock & roll, and rock fans can't get past the twang, but for those who dip both feet into these streams, it really doesn't get any better than this band and this album. ~ Zac Johnson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
While Old 97's second album, 1995's Wreck Your Life, continues the forlorn West Texas twang-a-billy that they pioneered with their debut, the sharp songwriting of vocalist Rhett Miller steps out to the forefront this time around. He weeps through the lovesick romp "Doreen" and chunks through longtime favorite "Big Brown Eyes" with a newfound poetic touch to the age-old traumas of love ("I'm callin' time and temperature just for some company," "You made a big impression for a girl of your size"). At the same time, it's hard to believe the barroom ballad "W-I-F-E" wasn't written by George Jones back in the late '50s. Supporting Miller's keening vocals is bassist and yodeler Murry Hammond, whose musical accents are understated, but without them many a song would fall flat. Well-chosen covers, including the Tex-Mex standard "You Belong to My Heart" and a stomp through "My Sweet Blue-Eyed Darlin'" that would do Bill Monroe proud round out the album, although a few songs near the end seem to lose steam. Nevertheless, Wreck Your Life contains some killer tracks and the band exudes an honest energy that would only improve on future releases. ~ Zac Johnson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Many bands blend country and rock, but few brew this concoction as well as the Old 97's on Hitchhike to Rhome. Energetic frontman Rhett Miller commands attention as a charismatic vocalist and clever songwriter on tracks such as "St. Ignatius" and "If My Heart Was a Car." On the album's highlight "Stoned," he even manages to successfully infuse the adjectives "dope" and "fly" into a country song. Bass player Murry Hammond supplies smooth harmonies throughout the album, in addition to lead vocals on the excellent Merle Haggard cover "Mama Tried." Musically, the Old 97's are capable of shifting comfortably between bluegrassy honky tonk ("Doreen") and the occasional serene ballad ("Dancing With Tears.") Ken Bethea's guitar leads the band throughout their rowdy ride while Philip Peeples' steady drumming manages to somehow hold everything together. Other standouts include "Drowning in the Days," "Hands Off," and "504." Further demonstrating their country roots, there is even a secret hidden version of Webb Pierce's "Tupelo County Jail" after the last listed track. Though their debut sounds more sparse and simplified than their subsequent releases, Hitchhike to Rhome showcases the spark of a truly original band with endless potential. ~ Michael Frey, All Music Guide
