Alabama 3 - Outlaw
Posted by AlMachine on Wednesday, May 11, 2005


Alabama 3 have always managed to stay just under my radar. Ive been aware of them for about ten years now since they released a couple of 12"s on Nottingham's own DIY imprint. soon after came "exile on coldharbour lane", which featured a cracking tune that most people now know as the theme to the SOPRANOS. after that, I kept noticing them popping up from time to time, but never really kept up with what they were doing.

Fast Forward a few years to where I had the good fortune of seeing them at Glastonry on the main stage, where they spread their counter-cultural, proto-situationist country and western techno outlaw-pop to un unsuspecting audience. It was genius.

Skip to the point...

Maybe not the point, but the present at least, and I opened my weekly jiffy-bag of joy on the way to work last week, where a cardboard slipcase caught my eye. the new Alabama 3 album. fantastic!

So I take off my Nerina Pallot CD, and cautiously slide it into the cd slot to be greeted by noises of steam engines. Was this a cruel prank by the guy who stuffs the joffy bag full of musical goodness?

Fortunately not. Soon after the choo-choo leaves the station, the electro-gospel sounds of Larry Love and The Very Reverend Dr. D. Wayne Love kick in. Reminiscent of "the last train to transcentral" by the KLF if they were fronted by a cowboy from Brixton town, "last train to mashville" (geddit?) is a cracking start to what promises to be one of the albums of the summer.

Quickly followed up by the bassbin-thumping country of "terra firma cowboy blues", there hasnt been a country music song this wonderful since Ween's "12 Golden Country Greats" album (and before that, it was all about Dolly Parton)

and then it hits me... new single... could this get any more country? "hello....I'm Johnny Cash".. a fitting tribute to the legend, with slide guitars, a cash-like slide geetar, and probably more references to The Man In Black's life's work than is probably healthy. But what a song! I could sit here and listen to this song on repeat all night, and still not get bored. It's worth buying the album for this one song alone. The fact there are 11 more tracks of cracking tunes is just a bonus.

Johnny would be proud. I hope Larry and D. Wayne are just as proud of this album as well.

I hope these boys play Glastonbury again this summer. it could just top it off and make what is set to be a great weekend into a fucking STORMER of one!

Wanye

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