Tennessee Pusher

iTunes Review

Alabama High-Test introduces Old Crow Medicine Show's Tennessee Pusher with a folky hillbilly rap that gives an obvious nod to Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues," though this one is riddled with upfront drug references. Without advocating substance abuse, Secor sings about the state of affairs in 21st century America's rural wastelands with a bygone, 20th century folk protest style. The haunting "Methamphetamine" furthers the foray into shedding a vintage light on a modern American epidemic. Other deliberate anachronisms pepper Tennessee Pusher, thanks in part to producer Don Was. (The band had worked on their two prior album with Gillian Welch's right-hand man David Rawlings.) Was' work with O.C.M.S. smoothes out the rougher edges by giving equal balance to the band's naturally gritty twang-rock and their penchant for the antiquated authenticity of old time country music, though the title track burns slowly like On The Beach era Neil Young. The more uplifting and banjo laden "Caroline" is the kind of catchy love song that a young John Prine could have written.