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The V-Roys - All About Town Audio CD

A fair review of the The V-Roys "All About Town" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all The V-Roys reviews here, or go back to the The V-Roys tabs.

The V-Roys Band: The V-Roys
Title: All About Town
Rating:
Release Date: 1998-08-25
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Window Song 2: Mary 3: Amy 88 4: Arianne 5: Strange 6: Hold on to Me 7: Miss Operator 8: Testify 9: Sorry Sue 10: Over the Mountain 11: Viriginia Way/Shenandoah Breakdown 12: Fade Away

4.999 stars
999 stars because it's just slightly lesser than Just Add Ice, the debut. 4. That . 001 deduction is the sound of Steve Earle sticking his nose in where it didn't belong - it's the sound of Earle breaking up the band.
I threw away "Copperhead Road" after hearing a few stories about the recording of this album. A drum machine instead of Gentleman Jeff Bills? Insanity.

Still, despite the meddling the band managed to make this one of my top 10 desert island discs.


Steve Earle meets Power Pop
Most all the tunes carry heavy production/chiming guitars/multipart harmonies that evoke the allure of the Beatles or Badfinger, while still having at least a little (and sometimes a lot) of Nashville Country thrown in. I've listened to a little Steve Earle elsewhere, but this album still appeals to me more than anything else I've heard.

And the lyrics. . . wow. I don't know who gets the credits for lyrics on these songs, but they all tell such full and emotional and time-and-place stories with an incredible economy of words.

Amy 88 is the track that is power-pop to the max with lyrics that match, I'm sure, 99% of the US population's memories of teenagehood. And some of the not-quite-so-much power-pop songs, especially Fade Away, tell stories so effectively that everyone will identify even if they do not tag common memories.


8 Years Later
What a great bargain! The V-Roys have that alternative sound that's too rocky for country and too rocky for country. I picked up a copy of this CD -- my 2nd by the V-Roys -- @ a sale. Anthem rockers like "Arianne" & "The Window Song" have great hooks and a slow burn. "Strange" is a classic blast with great guitar lines & the simple lyrics, "She's mine. She's strange. She's long. She's kind. She's mine!" "Over the Mountain" is short & sweet that thunders with a Celtic flavor. "Virginia Way/Shenondoah Breakdown" is an acoustic folk track that bursts into a hoe-down. "All About Town" is a set that sounds good 8 years later, well worth seeking out. Enjoy! .


Roots-rockers' studio swan-song
Still, they left behind a legacy of two studio albums and a live disc that shows off their blend of twangy country and power-pop. This Tennessee band never quite lived up to the hype, notably that of their producer, Steve Earle. This, their second studio album, finds original lead guitarist John Paul Keith replaced by Mike Harrison, and their comfort in the studio increased. The result isn't so much slick as polished -- with vocals that provide both blue harmonies on the country tunes and sunnier backings for pop songs.

The V-Roys spend their country, folk and rock influences discretely, like the acoustic country of "Mary" and the full-blown 12-string chime of "Amy 88. " They lean heavily on their rock roots (as they did live on their follow-up swan-song, "Are You Through Yet?"), mixing layers of electric guitar, ala Matthew Sweet, with chiming Rickenbacker, reverb, and stacked vocal harmonies. "Hold on to Me" crosses electric and acoustic with a soulful melody that harkens back to the '50s.

Despite the catchy hooks, well-blended vocals and heartfelt playing and production, there's still something faintly unengaging about this album. It's like the razor-thin difference between a hit and an alternate take -- all the elements are there, but the essential "it" seems just out of reach.

3-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings.


Surprisingly good - Definite Steve Earle Influence
This album is worthy of his name. Since I first learned of Steve Earle with his "I Feel Alright" album, I have been interested in anything associated with his music. It is an eclectic mix of of catchy tracks that does not where out its welcome as the tracks build off of each other. It is a very impressive album that has me anxious for their next even if Steve Earle is not the producer. I expect big things from them in coming years.


You can see a complete list of all The V-Roys discography, or go back to the The V-Roys tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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