BR549 - Dog Days

BR549 are some of the most talented and versatile musicians out there now, a group of amazing guys who've changed their look and their sound a few times, but never have compromised their music or strayed far from their honest presentation of solid roots-based country music. Without fail, this group delivers.

Now, I know that BR549 dropped the hyphen from their name and got rid of the "costumes" in a general overhaul of the group's image, a "see, we're grown up and serious now" move, but fans have always known that it doesn't matter what the boys wear or whether or not their name is the phone number for Junior Samples' Used Cars; what matters is their music is great. With "Dog Days," they sure don't let any of us down.

Now, with the last two discs BR549 have taken their pure country sound in a more rootsy direction, a little banjo-laden almost bluegrassy feel instead of that swinging honky-tonk that I loved from 'em, but I sure have to admit it's good. Starting out with "Poison," a banjo-laden foot-stomper about the, well, "evils" of drink, "Dog Days" is anything but. Rich violin opens the timely, poignant "After the Hurricane" (actually written before Katrina), and from there the boys continue to demonstrate their range and skill in each song, ranging from the blues in "Lower Broad St. Blues" to the gospel-flavored "The Devil & Me."

There aren't many groups out there with the range of BR549, the talent, and the sheer enthusiasm, as well as the solid, never-varying respect for tradition. Whether it's bluegrass or honky-tonk, it's the way country music ought to sound. BR549 delivers as promised. This is country.