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(Broken Records) Originally released in
2000, Pearl Snaps marked the debut CD from Oklahoma's Jason
Boland & The Stragglers. Jason possesses one of the best voices out
there, soulful and world weary far beyond his age, and he also happens
to be one of the strongest songwriters around today, tackling topics
with wisdom and insight that seems almost eerie coming from
someone hardly old enough to have even begun living the songs he
sings, yet he indeed does so, more than convincingly. He wrote 9 of
the 11 tracks on Pearl Snaps.
The Stragglers: Roger Ray (lead and rhythm
guitars, pedal steel, baritone, and dobro), Grant Tracy (bass, banjo,
harmony vocals) and Brad Rice (drums), are some of the finest
musicians around and each one positively shines. Terri Hendrix drops
by to offer up harmony vocals on a few of the albums tracks. To
complete the can't miss combination, Lloyd Maines produced the disc.
Pearl Snaps opens with the with
the almost 6 minute long ballad "Somewhere Down In Texas," about how
the sun's always shining somewhere in Texas and he hopes "it's shining
on her," with lonesome fiddle and lovely harmony by Terri Hendrix.
Jason and the boys "got sober, now it's over," and kick it up with the
honky tonker "Drinkin' Song." PC-ism gets a swipe in the title track
"Pearl Snaps," where no matter what else in life changes, there are
two things that you can to depend on that will never change- cheap
bourbon whiskey and pearl snap shirts.
"Proud Souls" is a weeper about booze,
loneliness and broken relationships. "Backslider Blues" goes for
spirituality, about how we may not always take the right turns in
life, but if you keep the faith, in the end hopefully you will be
forgiven. "Telephone Romeo" and the infectious honky tonker, "If I
Ever Get Back To Oklahoma" point out the downside of life out on the
road, missing the ones you love and your home.
Pearl Snaps shows they have a way
with a western song, and they include two on the album. "Ponies" tells
of not being sure about being a hero or an outlaw, running from the
devil with the ponies right behind, and in the middle of the song go
into several bars of "Ghost Riders In The Sky," showing off some fine
guitar work. "Devil Pays In Gold" is a riveting, classic western
story about a man hunting down his woman that ran off with a gambler,
complete with un-pretty ending.
"No Damn Good" is a rocking honky tonker
about a guy, trying to get the point across to a woman that can't get
it through her head, that she's never going to get that wedding ring
she's after- from him. The Bob Childers penned "Change In The Weather"
is a bluesy delight. Wait a minute or so after this one ends, and
there's a "hidden" untitled track. Jason and the band have some fun
and really cut loose here, working themselves into a gospel-like
frenzy on this bonus gem.
Each and every track on Pearl Snaps
is an absolute winner, and an amazing debut from Jason Boland &
The Stragglers, making them the band to watch, and with good reason.
Their 2001 follow-up Truckstop Diaries turned out to be
equally as great, making them a well respected and popular figure on
the country music scene.
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