Tailgators

August 15 - 22, 1 9 9 6 [Off the Record]

** Tailgators

IT'S A HOG GROOVE!

(Upstart)
On their sixth disc, this Austin roots-rock trio continue to draw on a range of stylistic influences, from blues and rockabilly to Tex-Mex, while taking a step deeper into bayou territory. Head 'Gator Don Leady seems to be favoring the accordion these days, and many of the tunes have a zydeco flavor, a shift from 1994's surf-&-reverb-heavy Swamp's Up. The band also fire up gutbucket blues ("Might Make You Blind"), jazzy swing ("Stop That Rappin' "), a slinky instrumental of the Latin standard "Tico Tico," and covers of Howlin' Wolf, Leadbelly, and Link Wray. In the process they run into their usual shortcomings -- Leady's so-so singing and a lack of strong original material. But, just as typically, there are some smart grooves (though they aren't going to send Beau Jocque to the unemployment line any time soon), plus plenty of the unpretentious, rockin' spirit that's made this band a Friday-night favorite down South for more than a decade.
-- Chris Erikson