Normally, I’d complain when a band continually follows the same
sound which they found success with. In the case of Hot Club Of
Cowtown, though, I’m willing to make an exception.
Their third album,
Dev’lish Mary, continues the pattern of Western swing that
they have polished over the course of the past three years, proving
that not only can this style of music survive in the age of top 40,
but it can thrive. (Okay, so it’s not topping the charts; the fact
that it is still with us is testament enough for me.)
New bassist/vocalist Matt Weiner joins guitarist/vocalist Whit
Smith and fiddle/vocalist Elana Fremerman, and though I sometimes
wish his work had been boosted a bit in the mix, he seems to fit in
well with the remainder of the trio stylewise.
The key word to
Dev’lish Mary this time around is “fun”. Admittedly, you
need to have an appreciation of old-style country music to get what
Hot Club Of Cowtown is doing, but if you’re so blessed, you’re in
for a good time with this disc.
The trio tackles a wide variety of music, from the public domain
gems such as “Devil’s Dream” and “Little Liza Jane” to even
challenging the listener with a cover of Hoagie Carmichael’s
“Stardust,” featuring Fremerman’s fiddle work (which is, to say the
least, impressive).
Tracks such as “It’s My Lazy Day,” “When The Bloom Is On The
Sage,” “I’d Understand Why” and the title track all show that Hot
Club Of Cowtown are masters of this style of music, and the disc is
enough to keep a smile on your face throughout. The 16 tracks seem
to fly by – unless, I guess, you’re not into country music.
The band even welcomes some guest musicians on the album – and
while I appreciate the touches that steel guitarist Bobby Koefer,
cornet player Peter Ecklund and yodeler Don Walser add, sometimes I
still found myself wishing that I was only listening to the trio,
who pack enough of a musical punch on their own.
Dev’lish Mary is the latest delight from Hot Club Of
Cowtown, and is sure to please fans of this particular genre.
Although they stick to the basic formula which has worked for them,
they do take some chances this time around… fortunately, they all
work well.
