Drag It Up

Amazon.com
The Old 97's suggested they were ready to abandon their bittersweet Americana sound with their previous album, 2001's power-pop heavy Satellite Rides. But the Dallas, Texas band's sixth release sees them once again digging into soft pedal-steel guitars, rolling pianos, and relaxed southern rhythms. How could they not? It's clear they are genuinely in love with this music, delivering the woozy "The New Kid" and the surging "Smokers" with so much blood and conviction that it's impossible to detect that the songs were recorded on just eight-tracks. The only thing keeping them from inhabiting the same critically hallowed ground as the Jayhawks and My Morning Jacket is singer Rhett Miller's cocktail napkin penned lyrics. It's nothing a remedial English class can't fix. --Aidin Vaziri

Tracks:

Won't Be Home
The New Kid
Bloomington
Smokers
Borrowed Bride
Friends Forever
This Is The Moonlight
Adelaide
In The Satellite Rides A Star
Coahuila
Blinding Sheets Of Rain
No Mother

Amazon.com

The Old 97's suggested they were ready to abandon their bittersweet Americana sound with their previous album, 2001's power-pop heavy Satellite Rides. But the Dallas, Texas band's sixth release sees them once again digging into soft pedal-steel guitars, rolling pianos, and relaxed southern rhythms. How could they not? It's clear they are genuinely in love with this music, delivering the woozy "The New Kid" and the surging "Smokers" with so much blood and conviction that it's impossible to detect that the songs were recorded on just eight-tracks. The only thing keeping them from inhabiting the same critically hallowed ground as the Jayhawks and My Morning Jacket is singer Rhett Miller's cocktail napkin penned lyrics. It's nothing a remedial English class can't fix. --Aidin Vaziri

Customer Reviews:

Stands on It's Own.......2006-04-07

I never thought I was guilty of this, but today I realized it. I couldn't listen Drag It Up without immediately comparing to classics like Too Far to Care and Satellite Rides or even the pop gems Fight Songs and Rhett's solo The Instigator. But, alas I did.
Drag It Up is a much more somber affair than any of the Old 97's previous albums and reverts back to the country stylizings of their older records rather push further into the pop arena. However, they still manage ro produce a fairly solidly sounding album (I think the non-Rhett songs don't hold up quite as well). It might be better to listen to after midnight. If you want a powerful energy boost, listen to the raving rock of Too Far to Care, but if your in the mood for well put together melancholy alt. country this is your ticket.
If you can you should really catch these guys live, the versions of these songs live are awesome particularly "Won't Be Home".

band feeling the effects of Rhett's solo career.......2006-03-02

I'm a huge Old 97s fan and see them every time they come to town. I have to rate this as their least solid album. There are a few geat tracks (New Kid, Won't be Home, Satellite Rides a Star) but overall the album is a bit too monotonous, and 3 or 4 are defintitely filler, or sound too much like blander versions of old tunes on other albums. I am afraid that Rhett pursuing a solo career simultaneously means some of the pop tracks that would build up this album are missing. Instead, they are on his solo album. Hey, this band has 5 great albums and one so-so album. I miss the diversity, but still pretty good. If you are new to the band get Too Far to Care, Satellite Rides, or Fight Songs and work your way from there.

A much needed break........2005-10-07

The Old 97's have been waiting for the chance to write an album like this. After their previous few album's genres being pop-rock, with a touch of folk, they knew they needed something classic. They were clearly feeling the pressure of the big name label. Elektra records wanted them to turn into power-pop, one-hit wonder, radio kings. However, once their 6 album contract expired, they started from the beginning. Bassist, Murry, had a great idea and decided to use only eight tracks for this record. That proved to provide the simple texas barnyard happiness they once were. Yet, their vocal harmonies, combined with the steel guitar keep your interest listen after listen. I would recommend listeners of all sorts to pick this album up, even if you're used to the Old 97's former pop style. By the way, if you get a chance, see them live! They put on a great show, with one huge two hour set so the girls can stay in awe at Rhett.

Another toe-tappin' gem, albeit somber tones.... .......2005-08-10

The 6th proper release from these Texans and it finds them in a rootsier mood, gone for the most part is the slick sheen from their two previous 'pop' releases. Shoot, these guys are not power pop, they're more Meat Puppets than Material Issue, right? The idiodic press loves to label these talanted guys as a modern pop band, wrong. The opening track is the stalwart of the album, a real barnburner that makes you think how good the Old 97's are with opening track selections, i.e. King of all the world, Victoria, Time Bomb, etc. They know what they are doing. 'Won't be Home' is moving number about another soured relationship and the music is absolutley haunting. Just a modern classic.
The rest of the album is real good,with some vocal duties shared, more mid-tempo than previous releases, but the melodies are there, no worries. Seems to be that death & despair are underlying themes, which is a good thing, why be so cheery all the time, when you have the glorious Old 97's to spin.
Another fine release.

Screw the title, just read my review.......2005-04-06

The trouble with this album is that it's just too melancholy. I bought the album knowing little about the band, having only heard New Kid and thinking it was pretty cool. I also made the mistake of thinking they were maybe in college or their early twenties. But after opening up their little booklet and seeing their pictures I learned otherwise.

So time went along, and soon I was in love with every track on Drag It Up. I loved Bloomington, with lyrics like, "When the rest of the world is over and done/You'll still be the only one I'll ever love"; I loved Friends Forever because I know what it's like to be "A Bookworm on a Respirator"; I loved New Kid because it was passionate and it rocked; I loved No Mother because it conveyed intense emotion without being in-your-face; I loved it all.

Unfortunately this 'came apart at the seams.' After a certain point, the more I listened the more I became aware just how sad the majority of this album is. Lyrics like "The people are laughin'/They're having such fun/I wish it was happening to me," are found throughout.

Now it's later. I am still moved by the shrewd lyrics and flowing melodies. I just have to remember to take this stuff in small doses.

Perhaps the fact that I don't find every second of this album sublime is because, as another review said, this is adult music. I do not claim to be a 30-something. (Yes, yes I'm over 13..) But surely if something is accessible to such a small minority of people, you can't be too awed by it.

I also want to put in my vote that Rhett Miller do vocals on all tracks in the future. It was nice to have the contrast, but let's face it, he has the better voice.

Lastly, don't get my three star rating wrong - I really like this album. I just wanted to shed it in a light different from all of those who were so free with five star ratings.

Blow It Up, Burn It Down, Kick It 'Til It Bleeds

Average customer rating:

Stereolab fans, take note

Blow It Up, Burn It Down, Kick It 'Til It Bleeds
Imitation Electric Piano
Manufacturer: Drag City
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000HCPSSA
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Tracks:

Tension
For The Best
I Mean Wow
Energy Is Beautiful
Relatively Good Times
Come Into Force
Le Roque
What We Do We Do
Leave For Johnny
Blow It Up, Burn It Down, Kick It 'Til It Bleeds

Customer Reviews:

Stereolab fans, take note.......2007-01-10

Another spin-off from Stereolab, with less in common with its source than Laeticia's side-project Monade (Which is also worth a listen, particularly "A Few Steps More"). This one is from their bassist, Simon Johns, and draws a bit from Stereolab's hypnotic riffing style, but new vocalist Mary Hampton has a cleaner, lighter soprano voice...and I'd say this stands on its own merits. Fans of Adventures in Stereo might find it familiar territory, though the song structures are generally more complex and elaborated upon. Recommended. "Trinity Neon", their initial effort, isn't as strong, a band finding its footing; Half of its tracks are instrumentals, and as with Monade, not up to its sophomore effort. Those who love "Blow It Up" and Stereolab completists may want to check it out.

Music Album:

Music Album