Loog reminded me in workplace thread. I heard "Champaign, Illnois" on Outlaw Country yesterday. Easily the best song from them I've heard in years. Uses the melody from Dylan's Desolation Row. Don't think I saw it on an Obner year-end list. Anyone listen to the whole shebang? Thoughts?

I've heard it. Like, but don't love it. They may have entered that "serviceable career band" phase a lot of troupes find themselves in. They'll be playing the alt. Country equivalent of state fairs for the rest of their time, banging out "a song from our new album" while the aging fan base yearns for Rollerskate Skinny and Valentine.

I thought it was solid. Pretty standard Old 97's recipe; handful of good to great songs with a handful of filler.

FT had it in his Top 20.

That pretty much sums it up.

This is a good description. Easily better than their last two but I think Rhett's lyrics are a shadow of their former self and have been for at least three albums now.

That said, I'm a huge fan and this one probably lands somewhere in the 10-15 ranking for me when I finally finish it.

Gave up 7 years ago

yeah, my music taste sucks, blah blah blah

you're getting lazy at your old age, rads - freshen up your material

It's good, but Murry has passed Rhett as a songwriter I think. "You Were Born to Be in Battle" stands out on this record in my opinion, and has the sound to appeal to the aging fan base.

And they can still bring it live. Saw them in Philly last Saturday and they killed it.

I suppose it's fruitless to hope that you apply similar advice to yourself.

touchè