Old 97’s.
Having just moved to LA from Texas, he was SHOCKED I hadn’t heard of them before. The band is from Dallas and were super popular on the bar scene there. They were (and still are) the perfect combo of pop, punk and country. Frontman Rhett Miller is as dreamy as it gets and he parlayed his life on the road as a rock musician (and the many women who seemingly came along with it) fantastically well in his lyrics.
I first saw them live around the time of their 2001 release “Satellite Rides” and they immediately became my favorite live band. I bought all of their earlier albums after that night, but there was a clear favorite – “Too Far to Care”.
I don’t think I’m going too far in calling it a perfect album.
Every song is excellent. I still use the opener “Timebomb” to get me going when I need a musical boost. I’m sure I’m not alone as a brown-eyed girl imagining Rhett singing “Big Brown Eyes” to me. I’ll take it over Van Morrison any day. And “Streets of Where I’m From” — the lyrics totally capture the romanticism/frustration of my early 20’s
“I recall, when I was twenty-three –
Wondering how anyone could fall in love with me.
But now I’m old, hell I’m well past twent-five –
And I can’t seem to fall in love no matter how I try.
And I wonder where I’ll wind up but I’m headed west I know.
Wind my way through Texas and into New Mexico,
And I don’t know what you’ve been told,
The streets of where I’m from are paved with hearts instead of gold.
Yeah the streets of where I’m from are paved with hearts instead of gold.”
On the 15-year anniversary of the album’s release, the band is on tour playing “Too Far to Care” back to back – including two nights at the El Rey (tonight and tomorrow).
Find details here and enjoy another one my favorite tracks, “Barrier Reef”.
RR