One Foot in the Ether (Dig)

Austin's Band of Heathens' latest One Foot in the Ether (BOH Records) is an extraordinarily good record. It's got soul. It's got heart. It's got Rock `N Roll. It's got Blues. Hell, it even contains some plain old country. It also possesses something else, which could prove to be groundbreaking for the band. It contains two or three tunes with "hit" written all over them.

The first track, L. A. County Blues, is a fringe country tune about a free spirit, and according to the band is a tribute to the controversial gonzo journalist, Hunter S. Thompson. The song is about a road trip he takes and how the whole thing goes to hell due to a burnt out tail light and a burned out, via drugs and alcohol, main character. The tune possesses a standard country rock sound to it and a nice dose of heart and soul to accompany it. The guitars drive the song and get the record started out at a rapid pace.

The end of L.A. County Blues blends without a gap into the next tune, Say...Read more

The Band of Heathens' second studio album (their fourth overall, having started their recording career with two live releases) is a big step forward. The artistic palette of last year's eponymous release is carried forward here, but the result sounds less like a collage of influences and more like a band that's discovered its own groove. The twin inspirations of Little Feat and the Band remain particularly strong, but as channeled spirits rather than imitated sounds. With three singer-songwriters contributing a dozen originals to this self-produced release, the group clearly knows they have the goods. Their experience as a live unit pays dividends in the studio, as they sound like a band running through their set rather than musical architects constructing a recording.

The group's comfort is immediately apparent on the chorus harmonies of "Say." Their multipart singing is tight as a drum but also as loose as a casual back porch harmony session. The same is true for the...Read more

This is an excellent release from the up and coming band of heathens. If you maybe caught their acl episode or have heard one or two songs on the radio and are wondering what cd to get, pull the trigger on this one. Some real tight grooves that dance the fine line between texas rock, country, blues, and acoustic americana. A huge leap up in creativity and talent from their first cd released a couple years ago. As good as this cd is, they haven't peaked yet and that's why I'm giving it four stars. I am eagerly anticipating their next release. If you have a chance to see these guys live do yourself a favor and go for it. They will absolutely blow your mind with their combined talent. One of the tightest and talented bands I have ever seen.....and I have seen my share. I am a very critical reviewer, but if I could give a star rating to their live show they would probably earn six stars on a five star scale. Yeah they are that good.