Take your pick of the alt-country heroes: Westerberg, Wilco, Petty, Ryan Adams, Wilco, Rhett Miller, the Byrds. Whatever you like from those guys, you can probably find something pretty close on the new Damnwells record: Air Stereo. Especially Westerberg. It’s their sophomore effort, and it expands in every way on 2003’s Bastards of the Beat. That album was rough and raw, which was a great deal of its charm.
This time around, they’re not exactly polished, but they put the finer touches in where necessary, giving the whole affair a more complete feel. They hit all the cliches (the drunken tearjerkers, the drunken rumblers, the laments for a lost home), but they fill the spaces in between, as well. It’s not a political album, but it does not ignore these questions either. Similarly, it’s not an academic album, but neither does it reduce everything to the lowest common denominator.
One review that I read said “Air Stereo is the kind of album where your favorite track will likely change by the day,” which I think is completely accurate. So I’ll choose a couple to post, but there are probably 8 or 9 songs that might be my favorite depending on my mood.
Homesick, lonesome, and touching. A heartfelt ballad that shows their quiet and contemplative side. I don’t care too much for Louisville, though one of the very best nights of my life was there (well, just across the border into Indiana to be exact). The piano and string flourishes really make this song.
Sell the Lie
Sounding a lot like a good ol’ Replacements song, this song immediately follows “Louisville” on the album and picks up the pace a bit. It’s a loser’s anthem with lines like “Don’t call me tonight, I can’t make it right.” It’s also probably the most radio-friendly song on the album.
Heartbreaklist
It took me a few listens to really get into this one. But the more I listen, the more it really gets inside me. It’s the most bluesy song on the record, dark and brooding.
Other great songs include “Golden Days,” (which would feel right at home on Rumours) “Keep a Little Organ,” “I Am a Leaver,” “Graceless,” and…most of the rest of the album. The one strange thing is that pretty much everyone I’ve read has cited “Shiny Bruise” as a highlight, but it’s one of the few songs on the whole record that doesn’t really do much for me. Still, a number of other folks like it, so it might be worth exploring.
On the whole, I’ll need some more time to listen to it to be sure, but chances are this will make a strong appearance among my favorites for the year. In the meantime, they’re on tour, hitting most of the country over the next few months. Check out tourdates here.
Finally, they’ve got a link to the USGS page on dinosaurs. And anyone who can’t respect that clearly wants the terrorists to win.