Album Details

• Artist: 500 Miles To Memphis
• Album: Sunshine In A Shotglass
• Label: Deep Elm
• Year of Release: 2007
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2007-09-19

Media

Do the words 'country' and 'punk' scare you? Rather unusual grouping of styles, wouldn't you think so? That was my initial reaction to receiving this new album from Cincinatti's 500 Miles To Memphis. On paper they're hard to pin down, but one or two tracks in gives you a good idea of what these guys are up to.

   This is pure dive-bar music, the stuff of shooting grain liquor and back alley brawls. Washing their atypical mournful country twanging with a more punk ridged exterior and the balls of a hard rock band, most of the songs on Sunshine In A Shotglass use these contrasts to solid if generally unspectacular results. It's a novel sound they've garnered up, and tracks like "All My Friends Are Crazy" (definitely the best),  "Don't Mislead" and "Fireflies" show the band at the top of their game.

   In the end, however, this is a band destined for one of two things; a career playing bars or an adjustment of direction. I imagine they win over many with their live shows, as this music would be far better translated in such a setting. Sunshine In A Shotglass is targeted at a specific type of individual, and the music, overall, doesn't translate to anything but average. There are some well-written songs, some nice moments with banjos and lap steels that really send home the western feel but ultimately it's limitations make for an album you'll throw in during a party but won't go to any other time. It works better as backround noise for a drunken Friday night at your favorite local watering hole.  

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