BR549 - Dog Days (11 tracks) +Album Reviews

Yet another stellar album from one of country's best

DanD | 01/13/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"BR549 is one of those bands that appeals not only to traditional country fans, but also to people who claim to "hate" country music (despite the prominent fiddle and steel you find on BR549 records). Why is this? Simple--their music is honest and, in its own subtle way, brilliant. Not to say DOG DAYS is a masterpiece; it has its flaws, though right off the top of my head I can't think of any. It's a perfect, albeit calmer, follow-up to TANGLED IN THE PINES, their previous (and, let's face it, best) effort.

DOG DAYS ranges wildly in style and content, from the bluesy "Lower Broad St. Blues," to the rocker "Leave It Alone," to the clever gospel of "Let Jesus Make You Breakfast," to the stark depression of "I'm Goin' Down," to the witty social commentary in "Bottom Of Priority." Lead vocalist/guitarist Chuck Mead gets self-deprecating on "The Devil & Me" (with the Jordanaires adding their own confirmation via superb harmony vocals), and later slaps Nashville in the face by declaring: "I'm A-1 on the jukebox, but nowhere on the charts."

Along with drummer Shaw Wilson, fiddle/steel/keyboardist Don Herron, and newly-recruited bassist Mark Miller (who shows on "You Are the Queen" that he is capable of sharing lead vocals with Mead), BR549 is one of the best fringe-country bands out there. They've gone through several personnel changes, and some career highs and lows; they've never had a hit, and probably never will. But that doesn't mean they aren't worth checking out. DOG DAYS is a great album to start your BR549 collection, if you aren't already a fan; if you are a fan, then you really have no need to be reading this review; you know darn well you're getting a great traditional country record, full of wit and wisdom and everything that makes country music what it is...and what it should be."

The whole package, fun, entertaining, brilliant

Burns | Tacoma WA | 01/12/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These BR549 guys have been around quite awhile now, but they have figured out how to put together a collection of music that will get you up and moving and just entertain the heck out of you. This has a big sound, with awesome musicians giving you the best of what they got, and they succeed 100%. I listened to this on the internet, bought it half way through listening to the cd, and was not disappointed I had while I finished listening. Excellent is the understatement of the New Year. I can't wipe the smile off of my face. I would give it 12 stars if Amazon would let me!!"

It's a free country

K. Freudenberg | Dallas, TX | 01/02/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I am a BR5-49 aficionado from the early days at Robert's when the band played for tips and usually played requests until 2am with little or no breaks. Admittedly, I long for those days as much as I long for stirrups in Major League Baseball. So I'm nostalgic, "IT'S A FREE COUNTRY." It is also legal for a band to evolve and morph in any which way it feels. Yet, whenever I read a review in some fishwrap publication that states that a band has "matured," I can do nothing but cringe. Here's the flowchart: Band starts out - Band plays hard - Band gets cult following - Band gets reputation - Band strikes out on road - Band gets contract - Band gets a little more pub. - Band gets contract with bigger label - Band gets new management supplied by label - Band gets "coached" in next recording - Band changes faces along the way - Band changes label again - Band gets new direction from new label - Band fights for identity - Band produces new "mature" album - Band gets lost as cult finds new local acts beginning this process.

Gee, I sure hope this isn't how the end of BR5-49 comes about, but enough of the doom and gloom of impending implosion. This record is OK. Of course, I realize that any band can't just re-hash the same 'ol stuff on every album, but part of what got these guys so much early attention was the raw exhuberance they displayed both live and on the vinyl. One part of this was their ability to do cover songs usually better than the originals, and a simple taste of this is what I sorely miss in the last few recordings. This band live used to be a wild, jittery, moving organism on stage, and although they are still a solid live show (saw them on the last tour at Poor David's Pub in Dallas), something has settled down. Chuck is a great talent, but an early appeal of the band was the vocal volley of Chuck and Gary Bennett. Ok, I'll go cry me a river, but dammit, just go listen to the Big Backyard Beat Show one more time. Mature? I just don't want to grow up that bad."

I Love BR549

Matthew Sahlgren | Kalamazoo, Michigan United States | 02/18/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I love this band. I really mean it. I LOVE this band. And Chuck really should just retire the name. This is not BR549. It's not bad. In fact, this album is great. But it's a Chuck Mead solo record, not a BR549. I hate geeks who split hairs but I'm still doing it. I would buy this if it had Chuck Mead's name on it. With Scruggs gone (the final gasp) there's no other name recognition and no one else to really share the credit with. Just get it over with. This is in no way, shape, or sound the band I fell in love with. Please. Can BR5-49 finally just call it quits?"

CountryInterviewsOnline.net Review

CountryInterviewsOnline.net | Nashville, TN United States | 04/07/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In most CD reviews, the reviewer will compare the music to that of another similar, better known band. They have the bluegrass sound of earlier bands but the music is crisper and sounds newer. You might be tempted to say this band has some of the vocal harmonies of Little Big Town or Rascal Flatts, but that really doesn't describe their sound. The songs aren't sad or maudlin, they are all cleaver and catchy. It's clear that BR549 is really not like any of them. They have their own distinct sound and it comes out loud and beautiful in their new CD, Dog Days.

This is not a new band. In fact, the band started in the mid-90s. They have endured band member changes, theft of their equipment and even disbanded for a while. Still, they came up with 3 Grammy nominations and had successful tours with varying artists including Faith Hill and Tim McGraw and the Black Crowes.

BR-549 seems to finally be settling down with this new CD. They are now a 4-piece group (originally they were 5) with Chuck Mead, vocals/guitar, Don Herron, multiple instruments, Shaw Wilson, drummer/vocals and new member Mark Miller, bass/vocals. The new songs are a combination of rhythms and are a showcase for the group's writing talents as well as singing and playing abilities. They wrote or co-wrote 9 of the 11 songs on the album (Mead was primarily involved in the writing).

Many of the songs have a driving beat, none better than "Cajun Persuasion", a pounding mix of instruments and vocals and "Bottom of Priority" with its old-fashioned rock sound (the song is about the imprisonment of an innocent American Indian, Leonard Peltier.) "The Devil and Me" is a swinging gospel song, while "Let Jesus Make You Breakfast" is about a sneaker wearing Lord.

The song, "After the Hurricane," written before Katrina, seems to be pure country:

"After the hurricane

After the wind and rain

After we lost everything

After the hurricane,

We survived the rising tide

But there was no where we could hide."

OK, maybe "Dog Days" can be compared to the soundtrack album from the George Clooney movie, "Oh Brother," no, still not quite there. Guess this is one unique album that defies comparison. You just need to hear it!

http://www.CountryInterviewsOnline.net"

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