| Way Cool World - Trailer Park Troubadours | |
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Reviewed by Kathy Coleman
When I first looked into the Trailer Park Troubadours, I was prepared for them to be funny. After all, a large segment of their website ( http://www.unhitched.com ) is dedicated to their appearance(s) on "The Simpsons." That being a recommendation in itself for me, I was eager to hear their stuff. I was prepared to laugh. I was prepared for an oddity. (By the way, this is a cool website. More than music here, come for a while and surf around.)
What I wasn't prepared for was these guys are flat-out GREAT.
Their humor is obvious. When they sing songs like "My Baby Whistles When She Walks" (it's not what you think), it's a scream. But then, a few songs in, you hear something as poignant and rich as "Primer Grey Impala," you kinda sit up and take notice. These guys can
really, REALLY, play and sing. Damn! I mean, they're GOOD!
It's trailer-trash Americana-punk more than it is "country," but anyone who enjoys music that takes glory in just plain-old being music will love these guys. From the opening bars of the cheerful "Trailer On The Bayou" all the way through to the peculiar, but truly wonderful, cover
of "Have You Never Been Mellow?" this is one terrific disc.
Trailer Park Troubadours is made up of Antsy and Flem (also known as Ronnie Joe McClain and Stephen Foster Fleming III), a couple of guys long on imagination and talent. They refer to their style of music as "folkabilly," and that's just about as accurate as you can get. The music is, simply, "way cool."
I don't know if I'm ready to become a "Flamingo Head" (the friendly nickname given to the band's loyal fans), but I'm sure ready to see 'em if they'd be so good as to come through Phoenix!
These two guys may make all their mainstream appearances on "The Simpsons," because I can't see today's radio warming up to them. But man, this is some fine, fun music. It doesn't take itself seriously and is perhaps more joyous because of it. You won't find any preachy,
fuzzy-faux-feel-good songs here; when emotions come, they're real and they're serious. These boys know how to laugh, but they know when it's time to cry, too.
It's good stuff. Check it out.
Song List:
Album cover courtesy of Trailer Park Troubadours's Official Website.