Out of the Garage and Onto the Porch: Can You Whoop It?
The Garage
For the better part of the last decade, a band of Alabama garage rockers under the moniker the Dexateens has been bringing their self-styled “skillet rock” to an audience of music lovers that hunger for something that feeds the spirit, sets the soul ablaze, and gives the body the inspiration to jump up and dance, to witness, to testify, and sing along.
Though the line-up has changed over the years, the partnership between John Smith and Elliott McPherson is the constant that has sustained the band since its inception in Tuscaloosa in 1998 when the duo were drifting university students. Smith and McPherson not only share songwriting responsibilities, but also trade competitive guitar licks while simultaneously singing in a harmony that seems at once infused with goodwill and an almost gospel-style, good-old-boy friendship. The Dexateens first rose above their university-town, local-hero status with their electrifying second studio album Red Dust Rising, produced by cowboy punk proselyte Tim Kerr, which captured the attention of Drive-By Truckers frontman/showman Patterson Hood, who helped produce the band’s equally successful follow-up Hardwire Healing. Both Red Dust Rising and Hardwire Healing feature a sly mixture of 70’s-style Southern Stadium Rock musicality with lyrics that strike at the visceral as well as the metaphysical.
The stomping revelation “Take Me to the Speedway” asks the listener to imagine not only being dragged through “red clay” but also to imagine the uplifting and transcendental power this activity might have to “wash away the bad times.” The metaphysical conceit of being on the moon, as a metaphor for being lonesome, far from home, ungrounded, and lost in space, grabbed the attention of Paste Magazine’s New Music Sampler when they anthologized the Hardwire Healing single “Neil Armstrong,” a song that highlights the band’s ability to evoke a sort of lyrical, majestic melancholy without hindering their earthy roots-rock ethos. Thus, one might very well compare the Dexateens to Crazy Horse, or even the Band, for their ability to electrify folk music (and the listener), simultaneously administering layers of twang and crunch that illustrate the proliferate talent and multifaceted nature of the band.
The Porch
Aided by founding bass player Matt Patton and newcomers Brian Gosdin and Lee Bains, III, the Dexateens take another step in their musical journey toward rock and roll posterity with Singlewide, an album that signals the band’s rise upward – out of the garage and onto the porch. As the title indicates, Singlewide is a decidedly low-fi turn for the band, a simplification of sorts to the band’s essence; recorded at Beech House Studios in Nashville, Tennessee with the help of producer Mark Nevers (Lampchop, Silver Jews, Charlie Louvin), the album’s first track “Down Low” announces the forfeiture of some of the previous album’s Skynyrd pomp in favor of good old fashioned songcraft. For those who enjoy the poetic conceit construction of “Neil Armstrong,” there is similar delight to be found in “Caption,” a rather Donovanesque ditty that investigates the limits of words and images in depicting “the movie of your life,” as well as the relationship of commerce and art: “You can save your money but you got to spend the years.”
Can You Whoop It?
The band is equally skilled in writing story songs in the best of the Southern oral tradition, gorgeously exemplified in “Charlemagne” and “The Ballad of Souls Departed.” The latter reminds us of the band’s considerable musical range as it moves from discordant banjos to tastefully blazing guitars. The entire album possesses a sense of spiritual questioning, if not actual questing. In McPherson’s vocals, especially, there is an ever-present hound dog whine of tragic resignation. Certainly, there is an added quiver of disappointment in “Granddaddy’s Mouth,” but also hope for a future yet to be prophesied in “Spark” and “Hang On.” Overall, Singlewide feels like sunrise after a long, dark night rockin’ in the garage, the bar, the bowery, or the stadium. The title track “Singlewide” illustrates that all of us may be stuck in the trailer park, but some of us are looking up at the stars. The final track on the album “Can You Whoop It?” is an assertion posing as a question. With the assistance of Dave Berman of the Silver Jews, who provides the robotic “yes” to the backwoods version of the question Can You Dig It?, the song is sonic ego affirmation for all us small-town, good old boys, who feel condescended to and emotionally outgunned. There is not a little lo-fi irony at work here with the lyrical persona who claims to like both “Ronnie Dio” and “Vaseline,” but, all that aside, the band’s fierce guitars return fire for those of us who feel like we have just had our porch lights shot out. Rest assured, there are answers to the dim, hazy questions raised by Singlewide. And the Dexateens are just the band to sing the sun awake.
Brad Vice
Pilzen, Czech Republic
January 27, 2009
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Progressive Global Agency books our shows. You can contact them at PGA MUSIC.COM
Hi Guy's..Just Wanted To Say Hello And To Wish You A Safe & Wonderful Weekend Ahead,Thank's For The Friendship.. You Have Great Song's...Sincerly Jimmy Drew
Hey! It's Damon from Set Theory. We are looking for a male or female vocalist in the NY area (we're based in Southern Westchester, NY). If you know of anyone interested, please e-mail me here. We would really appreciate any help!
Our recent songs can be heard on our MySpace page.
hey hey!! thank u so much for the add!! if you have some time, will you check out my page and tell me whatcha think? leave me a comment, write me a message! whatever u want. dont be a stranger! muah!
hmmm i went to yalls page and there was a rap song? are yall moving on in the rap world? ...hell i guess we will just have to move on....i am hurt though
There is currently a search for two types of bands for record label consideration.
*** Note: PLEASE IDENTIFY IF YOU ARE IN GROUP 1 OR 2 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF YOUR RESPONSE. Emails are being reviewed by different representatives.
1. A Pop/Rock/Commercial band with female lead. Band must consist of 2 guitars (Prefer both guitar players to be of lead caliber. However, one lead and one rhythm is acceptable), keyboard/piano, bass, and drums. Lead vocal, followed by backing vocals, in that order, is a plus as it relates to other members of the group. Average age of the band cannot exceed 28 years of age.
* Group must have an outstanding lead vocalist. ** Musicianship throughout the entire band must be very strong. *** Group cannot currently be under any contract of any type that is related to the music industry.
2. A Modern Rock band with male lead. Must be a complete band but there are no prerequisites as it relates to the make up of the band. Average age of the band cannot exceed 23 years of age.
* Group must have an outstanding lead vocalist. ** Musicianship throughout the entire band must be very strong. *** Group cannot currently be under any contract of any type that is related to the music industry.
XXX - If you meet the minimum qualifications as described above. Email a link for your MySpace Page and if applicable, a link for your website to: recordingartistsearch@gmail.com
Only send one email with your links. Due to the volume of responses normally received for these types of opportunities. After review of your material, you will only be contacted if there is an interest in attending one of your shows by a label representative. As such please to not send any follow up emails regarding selections. If you were not contacted back, there was not an interest.
Thank You.
PS: Before You Enter Any MySpace Contests You Might Want To Also Review The Website At: www.st
NEW HEAVY SOUNDS - A club night for those not afraid of aural assault!
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