Yellowhammers
(Up)
The Yellowhammers have been advancing their urban take on roots rock Americana for the better part of the past fifteen years, but there's nothing like a big name associate to keep the agenda front and center. In this case, the Chicago combo garnered some simpatico from Windy City transplant Jon Langford, a Brit rock convert whose work with the Mekons, the Waco Brothers and other members of today's punk country elite has made him an ideal mentor of sorts.
The band's latest long-player finds Langford applying lessons learned to Yellowhammers' well-traipsed home grown style, taking a jaunty spin on "Everybody's Joking," purveying a hillbilly ramble for "St. Clair, The Cop and Ann Marie" and garnering some easy appeal of the back porch variety via "Women Strong." Something in that Chicago water supply must be conducive to a down home delivery, given that the esteemed Bloodshot Records and various members of their alt-country collective all call the city home. And after hearing Yellowhammers nail the good old boy sentiments of "C'mon Elvis" and a rustic redo of R.E.M.'s "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville," one starts to suspect that perhaps the city's south side is actually the northern annex of Dixie.
Standout Tracks: "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville," "Everybody's Joking," "Just the Same #7" LEE ZIMMERMAN
