Formerly of southern rockers The Ohms, McDonalds gritty voice and driving energy turn up the heat and make you want to sweat it out. Ken Coomers production prevails with Lee Ranaldo-esque riffs and lush Sam Prekop-ish melodies of more uh than ahhh. A true indie record that goes bang and is as cerebrally beautiful as it is skillfully pivotal.
- RJL - Real Detroit Weekly
By Neil McDonald
April 05, 2006
From Birmingham, AL by way of Athens, GA, singer-songwriter Wes McDonald seems to owe more to the latter than the former, as his roots rock sounds are often polished with a jangle pop sheen more in keeping with the 80s indie Mecca than anything found down in the Delta. Produced by Wilcos Ken Coomer, 1:50 in the Furnace is McDonalds fourth album and one that ably traverses the lines between power pop, country and rock. Shot Stereo and Chinese Rug are ragged rockers from the Paul Westerberg mould, though with more outward polish and with choruses sunnier than they are scruffy. Likewise, the excellent Whats Comin Over Me and the title track toy with ramshackle untidiness, but McDonalds inherent pop smarts ensure neither song goes off the rails; All Revved Up, meanwhile, finds the heretofore unexplored spot where Steve Earle and the Rolling Stones collide. McDonald displays a lighter touch on the smooth country rock of Day One and the pop-tastic album opener I Would Never (the latter of which unexpectedly recalls Joe Jackson), while the sardonic take on gender politics in Brethren reveals a unique lyric voice. Wes McDonald may be thus far unheralded but 1:50 in the Furnace should not go unnoticed. ---- Exclaim magazine
They just don't make barnburners like this anymore. All the fun in rock and roll has been sucked out, and though my job is to deliver the most concise and impartial review possible, sometimes even I must look past my supposed snooty attitude and just enjoy music for what it is. Thankfully Wes McDonald's latest is the headbanging, lighter-in-the-air, Pete Townshend air-guitar playing album everyone needs for that weekend pub crawl. It's a shame artists are forgetting that making music is a fun and energetic experience, not some painstaking path to make the next critical darling or rake in wads of cash. It's even more of a shame that no one in alt-country (other than the Drive By Truckers) dares to make albums like 1:50 in the Furnace anymore. Wes isn't the only artist that believes this -- he's brought Ken Coomer (the original Wilco drummer) along to produce the first party rock album of 2006.
The album opens with the indie pop gem "I Would Never." The song is more indie than country, with a guitar sound that's reminiscent of Pavement's mellow melodies. The happy-go-lucky attitude carries into "Shot Stereo," and though references to cow pies and glass eyes aren't exactly the subjects of genius songwriting, this isn't an album to be taken too seriously and Wes McDonald will never be accused of taking himself too seriously. The gift "Shot Stereo," comes bearing is that of dance. Crank the song as loud as your system will allow and cut a rug. I know that's hard for some of you since dancing isn't cool or hip, but it's time to cut loose and recall your youth when you'd dance to the radio when your parents were out for the evening. McDonald is rallying the troops: stop posturing and start rocking. More dancing is to be had during "Day One," "Brethren," and the album's title track. 1:50 in the Furnace is the soundtrack to a downhome wedding reception, a pig roast, a road trip -- anywhere and anyplace that allows you to forget all your troubles and to get lost in the moment.
This is not an album that's going to rack up awards or accolades, but it should find a place on the shelf on anyone with a tried and true rock and roll pulse -- even if it's the dirty little secret that you play when the blinds are closed and the house is empty. It's a refreshing change of pace to enjoy an album for everything it is rather than bash it for everything it's not. Wes McDonald has clearly mastered the art of projecting his fun into his music, and 1:50 in the Furnace may be the happiest album to come along in years.
a marvelous slice of southern-tinged alt-rock -Hitsession.com
McDonald mixes the warm dynamics of his earlier guitar-heavy pop with funk riffs that conjure visions of the Keith Richards-obsessed Jacobites imitating Boz Scaggs. McDonald takes the haunting exuberance so reminiscent of Hsker D to a new level by playing his guitar as though he had logged a few miles backing up Bootsy Collins. Black & White Magazine
Whiskeytown combined with the slick and charming pop-rock vibe of Paul Westerberg or Morphine. - Flagpole
It..s soulful crooning and soaring dynamics create an almost Muddy Waters sound that today..s generation can appreciate. I..d say this is one of the better indie releases of the last year. Smother.net
I recommend you pick up this album, drag your nastiest sofa out to the porch, crack open a cool Coors 16-ouncer and enjoy. - Left Of Dial
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I have been busy on tour with Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band and haven't had a chance to tell you about my new record! It's called "Bad Little Kitty" and it came out back in July. There are a few tracks to sample on my MySpace but you can also check it out on iTunes or on my own website, www. TaylorHollingsworth. com. Thank you for continuing to be a friend and I hope you like the new collection of songs.
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