Boxcars - Crossing

  by Andrew Carver

published: 17 / 12 / 2001

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Boxcars is a five-member roots rock group from Philadelphia, a very good one. In fact, the group sticks so closely to the roots rock template that may be all the description you can apply: No excursions into psychedelia like Wilco or pop like the Pernice Brothers; the 11 tales of lament on 'Crossings' don’t even have a pedal steel or violin. Its only real distinguishing characteristic is the great piano and organ playing of Amber Laurentis. The vocals are good; after several listenings I can’t decide if the three bandmembers who have writing credits (lead guitarist Matt McGrath, rhythm guitarist Dan Roberts and bassist Dan Edelman) each handle the lead vocals on their own tunes, or if it’s just one of them with good range. The group makes frequent use of pleasant background harmonies. There’s enough lyrical invention to keep things interesting, though the themes are classic ones; it seems someone is either left behind, leaving, or being told to get out of town — or else. Only an Americana neophyte will find anything new on 'Crossings', and its meat-and-potatoes quality may turn off fans of the more exploratory players in the field, but fans of Steve Earle and the V-Roys will find it right up their alley — beg pardon, I mean their dirt road. At this crossing, The Boxcars decided to hell with left or right, and just went straight on ahead.

Track Listing:-

1 Gone To Fall
2 Half Parted
3 She's Losing Ground
4 Bootstraps
5 Roll Me
6 Before You Leave
7 All Torn Apart
8 Strong Waters
9 N Broad
10 Police Song
11 The Ballad of Buffalo Creek

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