For all their acclaim and genuine talent, retro-country act
BR5-49 struck some listeners the wrong way -- namely, fans of the honky tonk, Bakersfield country, Western swing, country boogie, and rockabilly that
BR5-49 revitalized with their studio records. To these listeners, the quintet may have had the chops, but they were just a bit too knowing -- they weren't playing with a smile, but a smirk. Reasonable enthusiasts could disagree on this point, and they did, but there still remained a significant portion of would-be fans that couldn't get with the band, because what some perceived as good humor seemed like condescension to others. Those listeners may be surprised by the group's first live album,
Coast to Coast. Recorded in the summer of 1999 (at five different locations), the album finds the group in their element, passionately knocking out tunes in front of an appreciative audience. They're tight, energetic, and musically deft, effortlessly switching genres and spitting out high-octane solos. It's pretty intoxicating, actually, especially since the band has great taste -- not only do they revive
Don Gibson's overlooked "Sweet Sweet Girl" and
Bob Wills &
Tommy Duncan's standard "Brain Cloudy Blues," but they are no elitists, choosing to cover
Gram Parsons ("Big Mouth Blues") and the far less hip
Charlie Daniels ("Uneasy Rider") as well. Some fans of pure country music may find
Chuck Mead's voice just a little jive, but he's a hell of a guitar player in a crackerjack band, and if you only concentrate on that,
Coast to Coast doesn't just come alive -- it crackles. Not enough credit can be placed on the live setting; its kinetic excitement is the reason why
Coast to Coast is the
BR5-49 album for listeners who aren't already fans, while still being a delight for diehards. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine