Br5-49

Amazon.com
BR5-49's first full-length disc isn't a bad album, but it offers nothing that hasn't been done earlier and better by nouveau honky-tonk and rockabilly bands in Boston, Austin, L.A., Washington, and Baltimore. Gary Bennett and Chuck Mead, BR5-49's two singing, songwriting guitarists, mix six originals with old songs by the likes of Webb Pierce, Mel Tillis, Ray Price, Moon Mullican, and Gram Parsons. BR5-49 performs with the enthusiasm and competence of the seasoned bar band it is, but neither Bennett nor Mead is a special singer or picker and the rhythm section lumbers along without distinction. One suspects that BR5-49 were signed because they showcased regularly on Lower Broadway in Nashville, where country-music executives who don't get out much thought they were seeing something unprecedented. --Geoffrey Himes

Br5-49,Br5-49,Arista,Country,Country & Western,Pop

Average customer rating: Country goodness great fun...again... A Breath of Fresh Pine-scented Air! Super Fun! Awesome!

Tangled in the Pines BR5-49 Manufacturer: Dualtone Music Group ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Dog Days This is BR549 Big Backyard Beat Show BR5-49 Full Western Dress ASIN: B0001B0UCQ Release Date: 2004-03-09

Tracks:

1. That's What I Get
2. I'm All Right (For The Shape I'm In)
3. Ain't Got Time
4. She's Talking To Someone (She's Not Talking To Me)
5. Tangled In The Pines
6. No Train To Memphis
7. Movin' The Country
8. Run A Mile
9. When I Come Home
10. No Friend Of Mine
11. Honky Tonkin' Lifestyle
12. Way Too Late (To Go Home Early Now)

Product Description

1. That's What I Get
2. I'm Alright
3. Ain't Got Time
4. She's Talking To Someone
5. Tangled in the Pines
6. No Train To Memphis
7. Movin The Country
8. Run A Mile
9. When I Come Home
10. No Friend Of Mine
11. Honky Tonkin' Lifestyle
12. Way Too Late



Format: CD

Amazon.com

They've endured late-'90s major-label hype and taken fire for their retro self-consciousness during their days on Arista. Despite all that, BR549 has proven remarkably resilient. While two founding members have departed, the reorganized lineup mixes veterans Chuck Mead, Shaw Wilson, and Don Herron with Chris Scruggs (Earl's grandson) and bassist Geoff Firebaugh. Loose and rocking, they rely on no-nonsense originals penned by Mead and Scruggs together and separately. Despite occasional clichés ("Honky Tonkin' Lifestyle"), most numbers are refreshingly free of pretense. Genuine regret pervades the Mead-Raul Malo rocker "That's What I Get." While "Tangled in the Pines" seems a confessional on the group's past, "Movin' the Country" skewers Music Row's soullessness ("tryin' hard not to fall through the cracks and grease up that machine"). A grittier, more honest instrumental sound complements the material. The quirky tempo changes on "No Friend of Mine" succeed and Herron's aggressive steel guitar now screams more than it cries. Few Nashville acts ever succeed in reinventing themselves; it seems BR549 have beaten those odds. --Rich Kienzle

Customer Reviews:

Country goodness.......2007-05-06

I actually have had this disc since it first came out. To be honest, I was not a fan at first. I put it on my CD rack and did not listen again. I recently listened to it on a trip....and I listened to it over and over again. I'm sorry BR5-49 for my early errors. I am in the process of buying everything they have ever recorded now. Keep it up!

great fun...again..........2007-01-04

New members, so what. My friends Chad and Miles turned me on to these guys in the early 90's. I have been huck-a-billy-rockin with em ever since. There is just something about a group that gets your ears to pick up just because you hear the start to one of their songs that is very refreshing. My wife says that she thinks that all the songs sound the same to her. She just thinks it's "country" and tunes it out. It may not be to everyones taste, but I do like it. my suggestion: Buy it for a change of pace.

A Breath of Fresh Pine-scented Air!.......2006-02-27

I read about this group in a local music rag and figured I'd take a taste. What a treat! BR5-49 is real straight-ahead country/rockabilly without any pretentions! Nice, clean uncluttered production, and top notch songwriting! They prove that even without a Brian Setzer (who I love, by the way), you can put together a really happening rockabilly band. I'd love to see them live.

Super Fun!.......2006-01-06

I love this CD! It always puts me in a great mood! Whether I am going out to ride my horses or going out on a Friday night, this album helps set the energy! I love their sound: a tip of the hat to the masters of old country injected with the sounds of pure rockabilly fun! Definitely a great find for your music collection!

Awesome!.......2005-10-27

I only by chance came across this band while doing a search on another band and had a listen to the samples, I was so impressed with what I heard that I just HAD to buy this album, it is fantastic! If you like country music with good vocals and a rockabilly beat, then this album is for you!

Average customer rating: Sophomore isn't a slump..big improvement over debut Jump & Jive BR5-49, what can i say... amazing! Yee-haaaaa If you're just gettin here...

Big Backyard Beat Show BR5-49 Manufacturer: Arista ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: BR5-49 Tangled in the Pines Coast to Coast Dog Days This is BR549 ASIN: B000008USW Release Date: 1998-07-14

Tracks:

1. There Goes My Love
2. Wild One
3. Hurtin' Song
4. Out Of Habit
5. Storybook Endings (If You Stop Believin')
6. Wheels And A Crowbar
7. Pain, Pain Go Away
8. You Are Never Nice To Me
9. Goodbye, Maria
10. Seven Nights To Rock
11. My Name Is Mudd
12. You Flew The Coop
13. Change The Way I Look
14. Georgia On A Fast Train

Amazon.com

Big Backyard Beat Show is aptly named, since it takes the down-home retro twang of BR5-49's earlier releases and punches it up with big, old-school rock & roll beats. That doesn't make this record any less country, though; these boys know that rock & roll was country all along. To wit, rollicking covers of "Wild One" and "Seven Nights to Rock" are hillbilly boogie and rockabilly, respectively, only with the guitars--both electric and pedal-steel--cranked and twisted to contemporary levels. The only real weakness here is that the originals of frontmen Chuck Mead and Gary Bennett aren't as strong this time around as last, but even then the shuffle "My Name Is Mudd" and the driving "You Are Never Nice to Me" come awfully darn close. --David Cantwell

Customer Reviews:

Sophomore isn't a slump..big improvement over debut.......2005-04-27

BR5-49 returns for their sophomore effort with more honky-tonk tradition, a sprinkling of rockabilly, and a Western swing number. Unlike Amazon's reviewer, I feel the originals from Gary Bennett and Chuck Mead (with an assist from Shaw Wilson on "18 Wheels...") are STRONGER this time out, making for a better CD than the debut.

HIGHLIGHTS:
A cover of Buck Owens' "There Goes my Love" gets things off to a good start. A cover of the Killer follows with "Wild One" and it's nice, though not as manic as Lewis himself. "Out of Habit", written by the band's Chuck Mead, toasts bar hopping. ("I can't be held responsible/it helps me unwind/She said it was another bad habit of mine") Gary Bennett's "Storybook Endings" is a wonderfully bittersweet portrayal of a divorcee determined to keep looking for 'happy ever after'. ("Storybook endings and white picket fences/Castles and tales where the prince finds the princess ain't real/if you stop believin'"). "18 Wheels and a Crowbar" is a trucker's fantasy revenge on cellphone totin' yuppie scum. Love and pain intertwine in Bennett's "You are Never Nice to Me" while accordion lends a Tejano flavor to Mead's "Goodbye, Maria". "Seven Nights to Rock" is solid rockabilly. "You Flew the Coop" is a novelty Western swing number.

LOWS:
"Pain, Pain Go Away" isn't awful but it's less compelling than most of the material here. "Georgia on a Fast Train" isn't bad, but Shaver's original is better. "change the Way I look" is somewhat tepid.

BOTTOM LINE:
14 cuts here...11 of them are at least good. This is where I'd start if you're trying to find out why people hype this band.

Jump & Jive.......2004-11-15

"Big Backyard Beat Show" bursts with energy & some of the hottest country/rockabilly licks you're likely to hear! My favorite track is "Wild One" with its totally infectious joyful rocking beat, "I never went to school, I was way too cool, I got the jump, I got the jive, I got the message I'm alive." "Out of Habit" is another bouncing romp, "I went out drinkin' & don't you know, I didn't come home til a quarter to four, I got the boogie fever & the woogie release, she said, 'How come you always the last one to leave?'" "Seven Nights to Rock" is another great flat-out rocker with an infectious beat. Even when they slow it down a bit like on "My Name Is Mudd," Don Herron's steel guitar weeps like a juke box 25 miles out of Nashville on a Saturday night. BR5-49's set pops and bounces joyfully in some of the most infectious country you're likely to hear! Enjoy!

BR5-49, what can i say... amazing!.......2003-01-30

This band rocks, live and recorded... buy this if you have good taste!

Yee-haaaaa.......2000-05-05

Well golly-bob-howdy. Ya gotta love a band that names themselves after a Hee-Haw comedy skit. I'm no Country Music fanatic, but these guys are as genuine as it gets, and awful fun to listen to. If you even remotely like genuine American music, pick this one up. You won't be disappointed.

If you're just gettin here..........1999-10-30

...you've missed a lot. This is the best band in the world today. Anyone who has seen them live knows that Chuck Mead is probably one of the ten best guitarists in the world right now. He plays so effortlessly, though, you might miss it. Donnie Herron is an inspired musician, someone who has been blessed with amazing talent. Shaw and Jay are the best rhythm section since Watts and Wyman. Gary is just the ghost of every true honky tonk singer that has ever lived and died pouring his heart out. If you don't buy all three CD's right now, you'll be missing a great deal from your musical collection. If they come to your town, and you don't go see them, you will have missed a golden opportunity. I pray to God that they never break up.

Average customer rating: I HATE country music, but.... Bettie Page fan turns country It's okay, but... Just purchased this CD--Love it Hellacious honky tonk from a new breed

Live from Robert's BR5-49 Manufacturer: Arista ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Country | Styles | Music New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Coast to Coast Big Backyard Beat Show BR5-49 This is BR549 Tangled in the Pines ASIN: B000002VI5 Release Date: 1996-04-30

Tracks:

1. Boot Plug (Dialog)
2. Hillbilly Thang
3. 18 Wheels And A Crowbar
4. Bettie Plug
5. Bettie Bettie
6. Me 'N' Opie (Down By The Duck Pond)
7. Tip Plug (Dialog)
8. Knoxville Girl
9. Ole Slewfoot
10. Bonus Track

Amazon.com

Shine up your boots and get that hair slicked back because Live from Robert's Western Wear is the next best thing to a trip to the honky tonks of lower Broadway. BR5-49 was the prime mover behind the revitalization of Nashville's live country music scene, and this album documents the joyous mess that is their live show, complete with ambient yee-has and the band glad-handing the crowd for tips. Lest numbers like "Me 'n' Opie" have you thinking that the band is all about kitsch, check out their cover of the Louvins' bloodthirsty ballad "Knoxville Girl." Well, actually, it's a traditional number, but the Louvin Brothers made it famous, and the band does a dandy, Louvin-like job with the song's eerie soaring harmonies. Live at Robert's is a rip-roaring three-day bender of an album: sometimes sloppy, never especially original, but always a heck of a lot of fun. --Mary Park

Customer Reviews:

I HATE country music, but...........2002-03-19

Like most people that are actually FROM Nashville, I hate country music, but these guys aren't your typical country band. BR5-49 is the punk rock of country bands. They got all of the humor ("Me n' Opie Down by the Duck Pond," "Bettie Bettie") and catchy sounds ("Hillbilly Thang") that keep most punk bands going. Why can't all country be like this? I can't wait to get their self-titled studio album...

Bettie Page fan turns country.......2001-07-07

I'm not a country fan. I bought this CD to use portions of the song "Bettie-Bettie" for my desktop Betty Page theme. BUT, I can't stop listening to it. This is a light, fun, swing beat album. I can't say that I'm a country music fan now, but I think I'm going to try some more BR5-49 anyway.

It's okay, but..........2001-01-21

The CD has few standouts. Little swing or twang. It's kinda lukewarm. The highlights are their bantering between songs like a true bar band. A couple of times listening to it is enough. Sold my copy and don't miss it. I'm satisfied with their first release.

Just purchased this CD--Love it.......1999-07-08

We have been to Robert's in Nashville and it is a great place and this CD really gives the true atmosphere of Robert's This is the first of BR5-49's music that I have purchased and will purchase much more. This is a sound I LOVE.

Hellacious honky tonk from a new breed.......1998-11-10

BR5-49 sound a whole lot like the Kentucky Headhunters might have if they'd missed out on the British Invasion bands. They have the same twisted sense of humor, the same great musical chops, and more than a touch of redneck soul to add a little authenticity to the proceedings. Three stars is not a slap in the face; it's just that this is a decent introduction to a band with a lot of potential. It's still a bit of a work in progress, but hell, gettin' there is half the fun.

Average customer rating: Excellent "Hillbilly" and proud of it This is one of the best... Good, but it needs more...something Br5-49 is the greatest new country band in a long time...

BR5-49 BR5-49 Manufacturer: Arista ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Country | Styles | Music New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Big Backyard Beat Show This is BR549 Tangled in the Pines Live from Robert's Coast to Coast ASIN: B000002VQD Release Date: 1996-09-17

Tracks:

1. Even If It's Wrong
2. Cherokee Boogie
3. Honk Tonk Song
4. Lifetime To Prove
5. Little Ramona (Gone Hillbilly Nuts)
6. Crazy Arms
7. I Ain't Never
8. Chains Of This Town
9. Are You Gettin' Tired Of Me
10. Hickory Wind
11. One Long Saturday Night

Amazon.com

BR5-49's first full-length disc isn't a bad album, but it offers nothing that hasn't been done earlier and better by nouveau honky-tonk and rockabilly bands in Boston, Austin, L.A., Washington, and Baltimore. Gary Bennett and Chuck Mead, BR5-49's two singing, songwriting guitarists, mix six originals with old songs by the likes of Webb Pierce, Mel Tillis, Ray Price, Moon Mullican, and Gram Parsons. BR5-49 performs with the enthusiasm and competence of the seasoned bar band it is, but neither Bennett nor Mead is a special singer or picker and the rhythm section lumbers along without distinction. One suspects that BR5-49 were signed because they showcased regularly on Lower Broadway in Nashville, where country-music executives who don't get out much thought they were seeing something unprecedented. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2006-06-04

This is an excellent CD from one of the few bands that actually makes real country music. There are quite a few covers on this CD and you can find more original material on their other CDs. However, everything performed on this CD is done very well.

"Hillbilly" and proud of it.......2005-04-26

BR5-49's music takes its inspiration from a time when country music was played by folks who grew up in places with names like Butchers Holler. Covers of Webb Pierce,Moon Mullican, and Ray Price take their place alongside band originals and like-minded revivalist Gram Parsons ("Hickory Wind").

The sound is pre-'countrypolitan'...straight out of the honky tonk..with some rockabilly and Western swing at times,too. To make plain that this music has little in common with the pop-flavoured country coming out of Nashville these days, the band's name derives from the phone number for Junior Sample's car lot on the "Hee Haw" television show.

HIGHLIGHTS:
"Cherokee Boogie" is a great novelty that'll have you singing "Hey-ho-a-leena!" in no time. Band original "Little Ramona (Gone Hillbilly Nuts)" recognizes the common ground between the wildlife of punk rockers and honky tonk denizens ("She ain't ashamed of the way she was/She hears ol' Hank she can't enough") as Ramona trades in a Mohawk for hair "grown out and piled up high". Weeper "Are You Gettin' Tired of Me?" is another good original number that contrasts its love gone sour lyric with a spritely fiddle. "Hickory Wind" is a well-done cover of Gram Parsons (a singer that "old country" fans would probably love if they gave him a chance).

LOWS:
Their faster cover of "Crazy Arms" won't make you forget the original. The tune just doesn't have the proper melancholy with a quicker tempo. "Chains of this Town" just feels a little unfinished. The mariachi melody is catchy but the hook never really gets solid enough.

BOTTOM LINE:
The band clearly has some talent but the original songs are still a bit of a mixed bag. This one will appeal primarily to diehard country traditionalists, Americana lovers, and confirmed BR5-49 fans. If you're new to the band, I would get BIG BACKYARD BEAT SHOW before this one.

This is one of the best..........2003-11-04

This has got to be one of the best honky-tonk recordings of all time! Please see this band live!!!

Good, but it needs more...something.......2001-01-21

Overall, it's a good album, with several enduring songs. At times there seems to be a lack of emphasis on whether they're a country swing band, a country band or a strumming rock band. Maybe it just needs a little salt.

Br5-49 is the greatest new country band in a long time..........2000-10-02

Br5-49 is the greatest new country band I've heard in a long time. Vocals are great, classic guitar licks are fantastic and they have a rhythm section that is really tight. All three albums are great and the musicianship is unbelievable. I prefer the Backyard Beat Show as my personal favorite. I really don't feel that the review from amazon.com is fair. This great band proves it self with one listen of their songs. Please don't take my advice, listen for yourself. You will be convinced.

Average customer rating: Live BR5-49 catches the original line-up at their peak BR5-49 sounds formulaic here Even if it's wrong Next Best Thing To Being There BR5-49 Coast to Coast

Coast to Coast BR5-49 Manufacturer: Arista ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Country | Styles | Music New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Big Backyard Beat Show Live from Robert's This is BR549 BR5-49 Tangled in the Pines ASIN: B00004NKAC Release Date: 2000-04-04

Tracks:

1. Tell Me Mama
2. Even If It's Wrong
3. Sweet Sweet Girl
4. Pourin' Pain
5. Uneasy Rider
6. Better Than This
7. Watin' For The Axe
8. Brain Cloud Blues
9. Big Mouth Blues
10. Six Days On The Road
11. Cracker Jack
12. You're A Hum-Dinger

Amazon.com

It's taken them three albums to shake their excessive campiness, self-conscious oldies re-creations, and uneven originals, but most of this live collection reflects a more mature, confident, and distinctive BR5-49. Along with a beefier rhythm section behind Gary Bennett and Chuck Mead's vocals, Don Herron's inspired choice to use his non-pedal steel as sort of a supercharged, slashing slide guitar alters the texture of their sound for the better. The witty "Better Than This" and "Waitin' for the Axe" reflect vastly improved in-house material, and that improvement extends to oldies as well. Compare the bonus track, a watery studio re-creation of the Farmer Boys' "You're a Hum-dinger," with their muscular live renditions of Gram Parsons's "Big Mouth Blues," Don Gibson's "Sweet, Sweet Girl," and Dave Dudley's trucker anthem "Six Days on the Road." Misfires include an incongruous revival of Charlie Daniels's incredibly dated 1973 hippie vs. redneck novelty "Uneasy Rider" and Bob Wills's "Brain Cloudy Blues," a well-chosen song undermined by a stiff, clumsy arrangement. Nonetheless, the fact that they've at last found their voice bodes well for the future. --Rich Kienzle

Customer Reviews:

Live BR5-49 catches the original line-up at their peak.......2006-07-20

Let me go on record and flat-out state that I really like BR5-49. I liked the original line-up and I like the current version as well. This CD combines some of the well-known BR5-49 material (Even If It's Wrong) with some very nice suprises including Six Days on the Road, the 18-wheeler truckin' song of all-time. On Waitin' for the Axe, Chuck and Gary combine for some great harmony work - sounds like the Everly Brothers. The songs that really draws me on this record are Pourin' Pain and Big Mouth Blues with the repeated references to "New York City's got a lot to do with it". I've played this CD a bunch of time, especially on road trips when I'm driving by myself and need something lively to sing-along to. This recording features Donnie Herron, the secret weapon of the band, as he let's it rip on lap steel, fiddle and mandolin. I happened to see the band just after they released this CD and it was a memorable performance. I think that this CD highlights the original band line-up very nicely. This band always struck me as one of being very talented and a bit off the radar screen of many music fans. It's really too bad because BR5-49 could (and can) dish it with the best of 'em. This is a good country CD and very enjoyable.

BR5-49 sounds formulaic here.......2005-05-09

Several listens later, I'm no closer to liking "Coast to Coast." The fresh, lively energy BR5-49 captured on their other excellent live outing, "Live from Robert's," sounds formulaic here, as though the band is trying to live up to an image or type.

The material seems so much in the band's comfort zone, that the members never have to really step out and shoulder much of a load, and the performers do little more than "coast to coast" from one song to the next. Even the onstage banter becomes more irritating with each listen.

Even if it's wrong.......2000-09-30

When plugging into Nashville's country music formula, releasing your second live album as your 4th overall release could be called wrong. Most would call it "stupid" or "just plain dumb". BR5-49 simply doesn't care, and after listening to Coast to Coast, you know why. Just as their live shows typically do, they start easy and work up to frenzied fever pitch, so does Coast to Coast. This record showcases of some of their better originals and favorite covers.

The production is mediocre, the guitar sound is a little muddy, and the steel guitar/fiddle are not featured as they have been in the live shows I have seen, but the quality musicianship shines through here.

When you first listen to this album you will probably think "Wow, that's kinda fun, but I'm going to get tired of this pretty quickly." You will be wrong. BR5-49's herky-jerky flashback is a portrait of how country music should be.

Next Best Thing To Being There.......2000-04-10

BR5-49 has established themselves as the best live honky tonk band doing it these days, at least to anyone who has seen them perform live. If you can't make it to one of their shows, this CD is the next best thing, although you lose a lot of the witty banter that is part of the fun at a live performance. So, all you hillbillies, and wannabe hillbillies, get the album, buckle up, and go for a ride.

BR5-49 Coast to Coast.......2000-04-09

With only two studio CDs and one live EP behind them, BR5-49 could have not release this CD fast enought. Being a big fan of the band and digging their music so much that I could not go a day without it, my hunger for a new release from the world true C&W band was at its peak. Having not seen them perform live, this new live recording along with the EP Roberts will keep me satisfied untill they do play a show close to my home. Coast to Coast has more of a rock n' roll feel than Roberst which is fine with me. It really comes across in their live shows and studio recording how much fun they are having in creating this great music. The editorial review for Big Backyard Beat Show stated that the orginial songs by the members did not measure up to the covers songs, but that is totally wrong. BR5-49 has written many songs that can stand with the classic songs they recorded. Anyway, untill they come to the Hampton Roads area where I can see them, and until the next studio CD, Roberts and Coast to Coast will be my ticket to their live show. Please feel free to e.mail me for anyone who wish to share some thoughts on BR5-49 lucas@odu.org

Average customer rating: Solid rockabilly, but nothing special. Saw them live in NYC........ Hardest Workin' Band in Music BR549 - Without the Hyphen way too slick

This is BR549 BR5-49 Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Country General | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Country General | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Similar Items: Tangled in the Pines Big Backyard Beat Show Dog Days BR5-49 Coast to Coast ASIN: B00005LNAM Release Date: 2001-06-26

Tracks:

1. Too Lazy to Work, Too Nervous to Steal
2. The Price of Love
3. The Game
4. Psychic Lady
5. Play That Fast Thing (One More Time)
6. A Little Good News
7. While You Were Gone
8. Look Me Up
9. Let's See How Far You Get
10. Fool of the Century
11. Different Drum

Amazon.com

Once upon a time, BR549 were the new-traditionalist kids on the Lower Broadway block, working for tips, taking on the toughest stump-the-band requests, and almost single-handedly cracking open a calcified Nashville scene. In 2001, five years since their first album, they haven't changed their good-natured, no frills, honky-tonkin' sound. They still blaze through twangy rock like the Everly Brothers' "Price of Love," still spin through hillbilly swing like Chuck Mead's terrific original "Fool of the Century," and they're not afraid to get shamelessly sentimental, as on Gary Bennett's "Different Drum." If there's a misstep, it's a small one: "A Little Good News" is the kind of wishy-washy liberalism better suited to Oprah than the Opry. Yet few young bands wear simple country pleasures as well as BR549. The hyphen may be gone, but the heart isn't. --Roy Kasten

Customer Reviews:

Solid rockabilly, but nothing special........2007-02-20

When you hear the first cut, you have high hopes. "Too Lazy to Work, Too Nervous to steal," is exactly what you're looking for: catchy tune, clever lyrics with a good sense of humor and solid playing. But they really only reach this height a few times; "Psychic Lady" works well and the Nick Lowe cover, "Play That Fast Thing" seems right up there alley; the rest of the CD is solid rockabilly but seems a bit staid and safe. This band always had a rep for playing it fast and loose and this really isn't reflective of that status.

Saw them live in NYC...............2004-05-14

I saw them live in NYC as the opening act for the Mavericks. I went right out and bought two of their CD's. I thought they were much better than the Mavericks and cannot wait until they come back this way on their next tour. I would definitly recommend these cd's and if it weren't illegal I would make copies for my freinds but I don't want to rot in jail. That's why I can't give my name.

Hardest Workin' Band in Music.......2004-02-21

BR549 is one of those rare bands that comes along and mixes a love and talent for making music with a ton of personality. The band takes it's name from a skit from the cornball country comedy show Hee Haw and have a style that mixes rockabilly, honky-tonk and swing. For their newest album, BR549 dropped the hyphen from their name, but little else has changed since the last few. Anyone who has seen these guys put on a live show can't help but like them. They are one of the hardest working bands in music today and they keep the audience entertained as they crack truly funny jokes and get after it on the stand up bass. From the sound of their newest album, they must work as hard in the studio as on the stage. Their most recent release, entitled This is BR549, is a foot-tapping kind of album that is charged with emotion and could be the band's best chance yet at recognition by Music Row.
The album opens on a strong note with the quirky, rowdy "Too Lazy To Work, Too Nervous to Steal." This is the kind of song that the repeat button on the CD player is made for. After opening up strong, the band launches into a remake of the Everly Brothers' "Price of Love." The not only do the song justice, but they make it their own with a fresh sound that mixes early rockabilly with a modern crispness. The boys keep up their reputation as funny guys with the hilarious song, "Psychic Lady," which has lyrics such as "Psychic Lady, you drive me crazy/With your video voodoo and your beehive hairdo." BR549 is well known for songs that delve into humor without becoming simple comedy. On this particular collection, they explore some new sounds, including some slower, more somber songs that reflect a certain maturity and sincerity. One such song is "A Little Good News," a remake of an Anne Murray hit from the 1980s. In "A Little Good News," a man reflects on sad situations that seem to be facing people everywhere and he searches for something positive. Other ballads such as "The Game" and "Different Drum" are more reflective than much of the music we have come to expect from BR549. Of course, the album contains swinging numbers like "Play That Fast Thing One More Time," the kind of songs that involve a spinning stand up bass and twirling guitars in the live show. This is BR549 is a great find because it is a gem coming from one of the most unique bands around today. BR549 manages to give longtime fans a taste of what they keep coming back for, while exploring some new paths and taking a different approach on certain songs.

BR549 - Without the Hyphen.......2002-01-11

BR549 has updated their name and their sound. Past BR549 albums have pulled heavily from the 1940's and 50's as BR covered such traditional country honky-tonk stars as, Webb Pierce, Ray Price, Buck Owens and Johnny Horton. "This is BR549" updates their songs to the 1960's and 70's as they cover The Everly Brothers, "The Price of Love" and Anne Murray's "A Little Good News". My first instinct when I heard Gary Bennett belt out "A Little Good News" was "This isn't a BR549 song". But the more I listened to the song, the more I appreciated this plaintive song.

I've always appreciated BRs cover songs but what sets this band apart is their self-penned tunes. Chuck Mead's "Too Lazy to Work, Too Nervous to Steal" is a raucous romp as well as his "Fool of the Century". Chuck's songs are just plain fun. I can never watch the Andy Griffith show again without thinking about Chuck's "Me and Opie Down by the Duck Pond", included on BR's "Live at Roberts" album.

Gary Bennett's "Walk in my Shoes" is a sheer delight. Gary is the soul of BR549. I still get shivers when I hear Gary sing "Big Mouth Blues" on BR's "Coast to Coast" album. He puts his all into that song.

Don Herron's lively fiddle, steel and mandolin play are hard to beat. He is about as gifted a musician as their is. On "This is BR549" the screaming guitars and Donnie's fiddle are flawlessly blended.

I have seen many live BR549 performances. It is hard to capture the BR549 sound on their studio albums. Their high energy is somehow lost. If there is any fault in "This is BR549" is that it fails to capture there high energy level. "Live at Roberts" and "Coast to Coast" do a much better job at this. But in the end, "This is BR549" is just plain fun. I love the new sound and the new songs are a great accompaniment to the traditional rockabilly tunes that BR549 is famous for. BR549 continues to be my favorite band and I can't wait to see what new path they will lead me.

way too slick.......2001-10-28

I was one of the lucky one's to see br5-49 at roberts weastern wear when I lived in nashville we had big fun there. this album is WAY over produced get any other br5-49 album before you buy this album, to slick, to over produced AND A Ann Murry cover to boot, sony and lucky dog records is killing my hero's, the Derailers,Charlie Robison and now BR5-49 if they come at Wyane Hancock with a recording Contract I hope he throws a hand grenade at them

Average customer rating:

Live in Concert BR5-49 Manufacturer: Big Bang Concert Series ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Dog Days Big Backyard Beat Show Tangled in the Pines ASIN: B000NY138Q Release Date: 2007-03-16

Tracks:

1. Time Changes Everything
2. Long Gone Lonesome Blues
3. Even If It's Wrong
4. Little Ramona
5. Pain, Pain Go Away
6. Baby Are You Getting Tired Of Me
7. Crazy Arms
8. Hometown Boogie
9. Knoxville Girl
10. Pay Up Time
11. Cherokee Boogie
12. You Are Never Nice To Me

Product Description

BR5-49 Live In Concert At Walt Disney World/ Orlando, Florida 1997

Average customer rating: Br549 is bad-ass, but this cd is not them. "This is br5-49", at their worst

Too Lazy to Work, Too Nervous to Steal BR5-49 Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music Similar Items: Tangled in the Pines ASIN: B00005LNJO Release Date: 2001-06-05

Customer Reviews:

Br549 is bad-ass, but this cd is not them........2004-04-03

I agree, stick to every release but this cd or single. Pick-up "temporarilly disconnected" e.p. for $12.50 from their website, it rocks! Chris Scruggs has a great solo cd available on his website, as well...

"This is br5-49", at their worst.......2001-06-30

On their third full length studio release, and debut on new label Lucky Dog , Br5-49 seem to have finally succumbed to the Nashville machine. Eleven songs total, with only five written by Mead and Bennett is perhaps evidence of too much touring and not enough time spent on songwriting. Mead's songs are particularly weak and uninspired , with the opener "Too lazy to work, Too nervous to steal " being his worst yet. With the exception of the Bennett penned " The Game", this album is a major disappointment. If "this is Br5-49", and these boys are the "keepers of Nashville's soul" as they proclaim , then Nashville is in deeper trouble then we could have ever imagined.

Average customer rating: excellent album! Tap your body to this...

BR5-49 BR5-49 Manufacturer: Bmg Special Product ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Country | Styles | Music New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Country General | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Country General | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Similar Items: Tangled in the Pines Dog Days ASIN: B0000657XN Release Date: 2002-03-26

Tracks:

1. Even If It's Wrong
2. Cherokee Boogie
3. Honky Tonk Song
4. Lifetime to Prove
5. Little Ramona
6. Crazy Arms
7. I Ain't Never
8. Chains of This Town
9. Are You Gettin' Tired of Me
10. Hickory Wind
11. One Long Saturday Night

Customer Reviews:

excellent album! .......2004-12-10

I'm not usually a country music fan but this album is GREAT!! You can't help but dance when listeninig to their music. I can't wait until they come to California for a concert...ENJOY!

Tap your body to this..........2002-09-17

A wonderful CD to be sure. These guys are tight, informed and loyal to no particular genre... although to 99,999 people out of 100,000 they'd be "country." Porter Wagner meets Elvis Costello maybe?

Average customer rating:

This Is BR549 BR5-49 Manufacturer: Sbme Special Mkts. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music ASIN: B000KQF7BQ Release Date: 2006-11-28

Tracks:

1. Too Lazy to Work, Too Nervous to Steal
2. Price of Love
3. Game
4. Psychic Lady
5. Play That Fast Thing (One More Time)
6. Little Good News
7. While You Were Gone
8. Look Me Up
9. Let's See How Far You Get
10. Fool of the Century
11. Different Drum

Music Album:

1. Brother Oswald
2. Clarence Ashley And Doc Watson: The Original Folkways Recordings, 1960-1962 [2-CD Set]
3. Classic Snatches from Europe [Live]
4. Common Sense
5. Country Music's Two Guitar Greats
6. Cowboy
7. Cut N Shoot
8. Dirty Laundry: the Soul of Black Country [Import]
9. Doc & Dawg
10. End Time

Music Album