Okay, this is kinda kick ass.

The Von Ehrics are pumpin’ country rock/indie pop–by which I mean hooks with heft, pop with meat, filling indie pop.  Music that could be part of a soundtrack or even on the charts, but at the same time isn’t stupid, dull, or simple.  You won’t get shocked or (too) surprised by their latest album, Two Foot Stomp, but if you’re not careful, you’ll probably have a lot of fun.  And there’s a lot to be said for that: Not all music has to be deep, not all of it has to explore–sometimes, you just want to kick back and listen to some guys who know how to play guitar and drums.  Oh, and sing.  Robert Jason Vanygriff’s vocals are terrific.

The words “punk” and “thrillbilly” are thrown around in discussions of The Von Ehrics, and I have to say: I see that a little, but not much. Their stuff is a little too accessible and traditional for those kinds of adjectives, but maybe that’s a move they’ve made on this, their latest album.  If there’s any punkabilly here, it’s pretty cleaned up.  The band is technically skilled, and unashamed of it–I don’t get any kind of sloppy, DIY feel from this album.  It’s good, clean, well-written rock and roll.

These guys have been around for quite some time, and I’m surprised I haven’t heard from them before.  We travel in the same musical spheres, and this is some damn good stuff.

For fans of: Steve Earle, the Vaughn Brothers,Texas rock, Old 97s . . .

http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F15455390 09 Down the Road Tonight by GorgeousMusic