Old 97's - Early Tracks

  by Geraint Jones

published: 7 / 5 / 2002

Label: Bloodshot
Format: CD

intro

"Barnstorming hybrid of honky tonk and early rockabilly rhythms shot through with a smidgen of punk attitude" on the Bloodshot label from under-rated Dallas-based group

Whilst it’s fairly clear that most alt country acts, especially here in the UK, sell far less than the column inches devoted to them might suggest, it’s always struck me as odd that a band of the calibre of the Old 97’s have made such little impression here. The fact that none of their albums have been given a proper UK release obviously can’t have helped. That the last three of the band's albums have all been released on a major label – Elektra – makes this seem even stranger. ‘Early Tracks’ are not actually the bands earliest recordings. Those would be on the band’s first cassette only release back in 1993, closely followed by their debut album ‘Hitchhike To Rhome’ in 1994. These 1995 recordings aren’t all that far behind though as the title implies. Comprising eight tracks, four of which are previously unreleased (a presumably different version of ‘Por Favor’ was on the Bloodshot compilation: Hellbent: Insurgent Country Vol.2), the remaining tracks, ‘Eye’s For You’/ ‘W-I-F-E’ and ‘Cryin’ Drunk’ / Let The Train Whistle Blow The Whistle’ were A & B-sides of two long of print Bloodshot singles from 1995 and 1996 respectively. Brief this set may be, but it’s a barnstorming hybrid of honky tonk and early rockabilly rhythms shot through with a smidgen of punk attitude, some keen glimpses of humour and fleeting subtleties too. The Old 97’s were fulfilling their potential from the start and here’s the evidence. In recent years the band have elected for a more pop-oriented direction, albeit still in an alternative vein, much as Wilco did by following ‘Being There’ with ‘Summerteeth’, an album that divided their fans at the time. The Old 97’s 1999 album ‘Fight Songs’ is the most obvious evidence of this stylistic diversion and whilst some of the band’s fans considered the album a step too far, I think it’s their best album amongst a body of consistently good output and very underrated. ‘Early Tracks’ meanwhile comes strongly recommended and for anyone wishing to investigate the band further, is as good a starting point as any.

Track Listing:-