Meh. Old Crow have become a cult favorites by way of raucous roots revivals that often bulldoze the boundaries of proper content and delivery, but you probably wouldn’t get that just from this record. Sure, the whole thing is blatant sexual innuendos, and that’s pretty amusing the first time or two, but the boys sound like they’re reciting the filth rather than relishing it. There’s still a lot of tight, interesting musicianship on display, of course – check out that winding guitar part in the interludes – but the thrill is gone.
Written by Gill Landry
Grade: B-
Listen:
Buy: Mary’s Kitchen
I definitely agree here with the assessment of both the single and the “thrill is gone” clincher. I’m surprised to see that “Mary’s Kitchen” was pegged as a single, even though I’m a fan of their previous off-color singles like “Tell it To Me” and “Down Home Girl.”
Then again, the album was such a major let-down (along with the sophomore album by CSS, Tennessee Pusher is one of the biggest disappointments of this year for me) that I don’t know that they had any particularly great alternatives to consider, either.
Yeah, I agree that Tennessee Pusher was a let down. It seems that the quality decreases with each album, as Jonathan points out. Too bad. I love their first album and even really like their second one. I’m just indifferent to this one though.
Kansas City to Memphis town.. good chops on the harmonica.. it jams… I think I find songs about dogs more appealing than songs about food. Or what about life? or love or lost love or drinking one’s problems away? or about dying or mix ’em all up and put them into one song with the harmonica interludes and maybe an electric bass pushing the beat? Or maybe this would be too much like the Greatful Dead… Nonetheless talented band.. I prefer sausage round so you may see me at Mary’s Kitchen some night around 2AM after a good night of music and partying with friends.
I’m a little confused. Why is this song getting a B again? It seems like the posts so far, including the original review hate the song.
Greg,
I sure don’t hate the song – it’s still a lot more interesting than much of what’s out there right now – but I did have to make mention of the piece’s overarching flaw in the review, since this group typically hasn’t struggled with that. But now that you point it out, I think a B- is probably more appropriate. I’ll change it.