[.ca] Tangled In The Pines

Get tangled up in a great sound!:
Br5-49's last album, "This is Br5-49," wasn't bad--it was just commercialized a bit (though not enough). Their latest album comes after the loss of two band members, and a songwriting spurt by bandleader Chuck Mead. The result is a rootsy, rockin', honky-tonkin' album that's guaranteed to please. Newcomer Chris Scuggs adds his vocals to some of the songs; his voice is a perfect complement to the band (and to Mead's rugged voice). The two wrote or co-wrote all of the album's songs; from the rocker "Run a Mile" to the Hank Williams-esque "That's What I Get" and the confessional "Honky Tonkin' Lifestyle." You'll find plenty of Hank (Sr. and Jr.) in here, plus some alternative music more in the tradition of Cross Canadian Ragweed or Charlie Robison. Not to compare Br5-49 (God, that's a pain to type!) to any other band; it's not possible. They are their own, and always have been. This new lineup may be the best; it has certainly resulted in their best album to date. "Tangled in the Pines" is a must for alt-country fans, and for those mainstream listeners who want to get a peak at where the good music REALLY is.

countrybillies with a gutsy roots sound:
Playing Time - 34:59 -- BR549's new "Tangled in the Pines," is the album they've always wanted to do, and they think it's their best to date. With all original material, these countrybillies with their gutsy roots sound may very well be right. The band which formed in 1993 has always blended funky guitar twang, solid rimshots on the snare drum, wailing fiddle, slapped doghouse bass, a little plucked mandolin, and robust vocals. The result is exciting musicianship and contagious energy. And the word is out that they drink (or at least plug) Pabst Blue Ribbon beer! Despite the departure of two of BR549's past members (co-founder Gary Bennett and bassist Jay McDowell) after the release of their 2001 album, "This is BR549," the band continues with a new youthful outlook and exuberance. Chuck Mead (vocals, guitar), Don Herron (fiddle, mandolin, steel guitar), and Shaw Wilson (drums, vocals) have now teamed with new members Geoff Firebaugh (bass) and Chris Scruggs (vocals, guitar). Both Geoff and Chris were members of an informal Nashville configuration called The Hillbilly All-Stars. Firebaugh, from the Pacific Northwest, is known for his work in several Seattle and Nashville punk and rockabilly bands. I'm told that the taste for Pabst is growing in that region too. Scruggs is the grandson of both the legendary Earl Scruggs and Louisiana Hayride performer Tex Dickerson, and son of famed Nashville musician Gary Scruggs and singer/songwriter Gail Davies. "Tangled in the Pines" strikes gold on a number of fronts. Traditionalists will immediately think of Hank (as in Williams, of course) when Mead's vocals, Herron's steel and fiddle kick in on "When I Come Home (from Honky Tonkin')." Chris Scruggs also pens an appealing story of drinking and carousing called "Honky Tonkin' Lifestyle." That's one to listen to with a cold PBR in your hand. The title cut at track five and has a joyful, playful spirit. "Run a Mile," a raucous tale of a rambling man being chased by vigilantes for something he didn't do, is the best showcase of BR549's vocal trio. They also write some truckin' country and gripping rockabilly numbers like "That's What I Get," "No Friend of Mine," "Ain't Got Time," "No Train to Memphis," and the album's closing "Way Too Late (to Go Home Early Now)." BR549 took its moniker from Junior Samples' phone number skit on the television show, Hee Haw. From their first gigs on "the roadhouse circuit" and Nashville's Lower Broadway, they eventually built a good following and landed a recording contract with Arista Records. Albums, TV appearances, tours, festivals, and a Grammy nomination have continued to build their reputation as one of the hippest roots country bands today. Their fans are an interesting bunch of "punks, rockers, college kids and traditional country fans," and they will find considerable delight from a revitalized BR549 and "Tangled in the Pines." (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

The best record of the year!:
BR59 is the most interesting band in music today. They are fresh with their new band members and this new album, Tangled in the Pines, is just absolutely sweet. It's a diverse record.. you don't get just a country record, it's rocking too. Some of it sounds like Creedence, some of it sounds like Hank. How can you go wrong with that? I recently saw these guys at the Bluegrass Inn on Broadway for the very first time and it blew me away. It was a show to remember and they performed these songs with so much energy.. I had Chuck on my radio show as a guest and a special guest DJ.. while on the program he agreed that it was the bands most diverse record and probably their best. The album tells you a story, but it's not a concept record. It tells you about this band's journey and where they're at now (too late to go home early now). BR549 is the best band going today and this record is excellent, do yourself a favor and pick it up.

Let's Get Tangled:
The boys of BR549 have done it again! Country Weekly magazine recently claimed that BR549 was a one hit wonder...how very wrong they are. Tangled in the Pines, the new studio CD, realeased March 9th on the Dualtone label, is everything a country music fan could want, and more. This CD is like a tour through the history of country music. It brings to mind the days of Hank, then jumps to the energy and drive of today's hottest artists. With a little bit of the chain gang blue's thrown in for good measure! This CD will keep you tapping your toes, stomping your feet, and singing out loud for hours.

A step back that's a step forward:
Having danced with a polishing makeover on 2001's "This is BR549," the band's changed their line-up, and pulled back from the more overt commercial inclinations of their former label. Which isn't to say that the previous album was without merit; producer Paul Worley helped the band let go of their retro schtick, while retaining the roots of their music - especially in their cover selection. This time out, the band pulls back in a bit more of their retro sound, and jettisons the cover material. With Gary Bennett's exit, singer-guitarist Chuck Mead is left to provide nearly all of the band's material (together with new addition Chris Scruggs) and vocals. Almost magically, he's produced a disc full of songs that take in the band's influences without slavishly returning to the combo's jokey roots. Mead's songs call strongly on the tunes and tone of the cover material which was an earlier staple, but remain fresh and original. The vocals have an ease that absorbs the balladry and honky-tonk at the band's past, but with a vitality that's free of pretense. Where earlier releases could sound forced, attempting to maintain the retro façade (or sanding down the corners for possible radio play), this one stays true to the band's underlying ethos. No doubt this reproduces much of the spark that fans first experienced at the band's early gigs at Robert's.

• That's What I Get
• I'm All Right (For the Shape I'm In)
• Ain't Got Time
• She's Talking to Someone (She's Not Talking to Me)
• Tangled in the Pines
• No Train to Memphis
• Movin' the Country
• Run a Mile
• When I Come Home
• No Friend of Mine
• Honky Tonkin' Lifestyle
• Way Too Late (To Go Home Early Now)