Review: “Blame It On Gravity,” Old 97s
In a just world, the Old 97s would get all of the attention that is now lavished on bands like, say, Death Cab For Cutie. The Dallas-based Old 97s have been polishing their rockin’ alt-country chops for 15 years now, and on any night their live act is capable of blowing any Seattle nerds off any stage, anywhere. Blame It On Gravity, the 97s’ seventh studio album, rocks out with a set of tuneful gems detonated by the vacation romance “Dance With Me,” which, by the way, is the first great summer song of 2008 (see May 15 blogpost). Frontman Rhett Miller and guitarist Ken Bethea give a power-pop polish to their tales of jilted lovers and down-but-not-out losers. “No Baby I” kicks off like a country stomper but Bethea’s burning guitar solo ignites this jalopy into the fast lane. The band gives their alt-country followers “My Two Feet” and “This Beautiful Thing,” the latter sounding like a Tom Petty castoff with a lead vocal by Bethea. “One buck in the jukebox gets you two,” sings Miller, and with Blame It On Gravity you get substantially more than that.
