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Supersuckers, Railbenders rock out at the Abbey
March 7, 2008 By Bryant Liggett | Special to the Durango Herald Another great night of rock and roll music was well received by a rock-hungry Durango audience Wednesday night when Seattle via Tucson's Supersuckers returned to the Abbey stage for a third time. Along with the rock came a healthy dose of "hard country" courtesy of Denver's Railbenders who opened the show. Review Rockers Supersuckers and Railbenders played the Abbey Theatre on Wednesday . The night was a Supersuckers sandwich. Supersucker's bass player and vocalist Eddie Spaghetti kicked the night off with a short acoustic set of solo music and classic country. The standouts were Willie Nelson's "I Gotta Get Drunk" and Billy Joe Shavers' "Bottom Dollar." Then the Railbenders took the stage. Where have these guys been? For a Denver band that's been around for eight years, it's surprising and sad they haven't played here. After this set they should make a return. The six-piece band rolled through material from their three CDs, while giving numerous nods to some of the contributors of classic country while most of the punks in their audience nod only to Johnny Cash. After the Railbenders performance, those same punks learned about somebody named George Jones. The Railbenders stole the show. Midnight rolled around and the Supersuckers took the stage. They are the self-proclaimed "greatest rock and roll band in the world," and they don't let you forget it. They remind you between every song. Don't get me wrong; The Supersuckers are a fabulous rock band. This four-piece is tight, loud and they have their shtick down. The highlight of their set was their new music; you'll be able to hear it when their next CD comes out in a month. But the devil horns and the self-indulgence got to be a bit much. It was farcical. When I go to a five-star restaurant, the cook doesn't come out and tell me how good the food is. The Supersuckers shouldn't have to do that, either. A sellout crowd full of people screaming at the top of their lungs is evidence enough. The Supersuckers are a great rock band, period. They don't have to tell us. Despite the new music, they remained predictable, yet great. Their encore was a cover of Thin Lizzy's "Cowboy Song," which was over the top. The best part of the night was seeing that Denver's Railbenders have found a new audience in Durango. I hope that will bring them back. Liggettb@fortlewis.eduBryant Liggett is a freelance writer and program director of KDUR. _______________________________________________________________________________ February 17, 2008 "My first thought upon entering the Gothic Theatre on Wednesday: "How the heck did I get in here without a tattoo?" Some drunk guy at the bar demanded to know who I was there to see: The Railbenders or Supersuckers? I said, "Why I'm here for both," to which he got in my face and screamed, "RAILBENDERSSSS!!!!" as if he were about to slit my throat."... John Moore (Denver Post) _______________________________________________________________________________ "The Railbenders are the best damn lonely night road music I have ever heard. Their songs seem to be designed to keep the pedal floored and the lights forward on whatever journey you might be on. This unique quality to The Railbenders music is probably due to the fact that they owe as much to Social Distortion as they do to Johnny Cash for their inspirations. The Railbenders like to describe this blend of genres as “Hard Country”, but that shouldn't scare off any fans of the slow dance because they deliver in that arena as well.... Dalton and crew have 3 albums out to date: “Southbound” (2001), “Segundo” (2003), and their latest release this years “Showdown” which borrows perfectly from the old Eastwood spaghetti westerns for it's title track. I think the fact that they aren't afraid to follow their inspirations from wherever they might find it has separated The Railbenders from so many other country acts. This is demonstrated by some of the unexpected choices for covers such as Ozzy's “Crazy Train”, Neil Diamond's “Sweet Caroline” and The Beatles "Octopus' Garden”. All of which have been put through the Railbenders machine to be remade into something new and distinctly Colorado country. Whether it be country classics, rock, punk or a late night Eastwood flick they will pay homage to the giant shoulders they are standing upon with confidence. The Railbenders are
positioned to take themselves on a worldwide journey and have written
their own soundtrack for the trip.
It's a soundtrack full of twang, heartbreak, and whiskey and
you'll be kicking yourself if you don't join in their travels.
The next time you need to hit the lonely road, throw in a
Railbenders cd and you'll see what I mean." ... Doug Newville, ColoradoMusicBuzz.com _______________________________________________________________________________ "Their musical honesty and willingness to take collaboration chances cement them as the leader in Denver country and western. Plus, their shows are a guaranteed beer-swilling sing-along."
... 5280 Magazine _______________________________________________________________________________ "Buddy, Let me tell you what: These here Railbenders are the real McCoy. For my money, these urban cowboys play some of the most authentic honky-tonk this side of Rex Hobart and the Misery Boys. And Showdown, their third full-length and first for the Texas-based Stag imprint, is by far their best and most cohesive. As with past albums, singer/guitarist Jim Dalton's sleek baritone -- which conjures the spirits of Waylon and Willie as convincingly as Hobart's does Buck Owens -- remains the undeniable draw. His deliberate phrasing and easygoing delivery exude a casual confidence that's instantly endearing. Add to that a slew of great songs -- "Driving Back to Denver," "Last Ride of the Dalton Gang," "I-70 Westbound," a fine take on the Hillbilly Hellcats' "Drinking Buddies" -- infused with the group's trademark twang, some foot-stompin' guitar lines, steamroller harp and tearful pedal-steel playing, and what you've got is a runaway train on your hands. All aboard.
... By Dave Herrera _______________________________________________________________________________ "Country music is slow, heart-wrenching tunes about pain and loss. Country music is heavy-footed, thumping two-steps with more twang than pain. Country music is blues from the heartland, drenched in whiskey and covered in dust kicked up from an old Ford. Country music is a bowlegged swagger in tight jeans with a chaw ring indented in the back pocket. Country music is blue-collar poetry spun by laureates who might sing about all of it, but never talk about any of it. Country music is guitarist Jim Dalton, bassist Tyson Murray and drummer Graham Haworth of the Railbenders"...."Top Country Band" Rocky Mountain News 2005. _______________________________________________________________________________ "Denver's country music dynasty may have found new royalty in the Railbenders' Jim Dalton, Tyson Murray, and Graham Haworth. Don't be put
off by the genre. Classifying a band as "country" these days requires some explanation. Despite the clean guitar tone, this band is not your
standard country band. The Railbenders are giving back to country music what Gram
Parsons promised: a "kick you in the ass for not listening to
my problems" approach that rings of favorite Social Distortion mantras. Dalton is a crooner with the heart of a punk rocker, wielding a guitar as
handily as a microphone. Murray commands stand-up bass with unapologetic edginess to roughen up the traditional country sound. And all
those rock drummers crying "country drumming is too easy!" must never have heard Haworth. You can tell a great band by the company they
keep. Eddie Spaghetti (Supersuckers) makes some vocal cameos, Glenn Taylor provides an extra-tasty pedal steel performance. No doubt Gram
Parsons himself would have been happy to sit in with these boys. A listen to "Segundo" calls to mind the
Leaving Las Vegas truism: "I can't remember if I started drinking because my wife left me or, if my wife left me
because I started drinking." Railbenders' songs are not polluted with distraction. Instead, they are as genuine as any heart-wrenching apology for turning to the bottle despite promises to the love of your life,
and as mournful as those morning-after mirror talks." _______________________________________________________________________________ Top of the Rocky: Top Country Band: "Railbenders" "They do torch. They do twang. They do fast. They do slow. They do pain songs and train songs. The Railbenders do country music better than anyone in these parts, and their albums "Southbound" and "Segundo" prove it. The band often is labeled alt-country, but that's ironic for musicians whose down-home style sounds more like Dale Watson or Waylon Jennings. Maybe the alternative label stems from the Railbenders plucky cover of Ozzy Osbourne's 'Crazy Train', or maybe it's their grungy stage presence." PEOPLES CHOICE: RAILBENDERS.... Rocky Mountain News 2004 _______________________________________________________________________________ "Best Country/Roots band- Westword Music Showcase 2004" "Best Country/Bluegrass/Roots - Westword Music Showcase 2003" "Best Country/Bluegrass band - Westword Music Showcase 2002" _______________________________________________________________________________ "Friday, 4:30 finds me cracking my first of the weekend PBR stash, listening to records in my room and tracking down tickets. Itís my day off, and Iím off to Denver to see The Big Show. This happens to be the Supersuckersí new tour kicking off right about now, combining their country set with their raucous rock ní roll set. Six oíclock finds me still cracking, but Iíve moved into my living room and Iím alternating between watching the snow fall on the foothills outside my window and the blinking tube. Itís a beautiful Colorado evening. Perhaps youíre wondering what the hell kind of tangent Iím going off on, and when will I actually get to the ëbenders? Well, the answer to that is that Iím setting up the mood of the record and the audience for which it calls. As 8:30 rolls around, my friend pulls up and weíre on our way to Denver to catch some country raunch and roll. During Mr. Spaghettís second solo set of the night, a young, black-clad gentleman by the name of Jim Dalton strolls on stage to join him. They creep into an old Hank Williams, Jr. number together, ìO.D.íd in Denver.î Itís a beautifully sad song about being on tour and wrestling with the stress and problems that come with the road. This song slides in at number seven on the Railbendersí new album, Segundo (complete with Eddie Spaghetti on the guest appearance). This is a great, true country rock album which rolls, wanders and crawls like the best of ëem from a couple decades ago. Jumping from curbside ballads, drinking mantras, self-reflection and tear in beer recollections, The Railbenders can swing and hold their own in the eyes of Cash, Parsons, Willie and Haggard. I donít see why they arenít be filling barrooms with Daltonís smooth, whiskey-soaked vocals strummed down crystal clear, shaky strings, Tyson Murrayís rolling, thick bass lines and Graham Haworthís snappy, driving pop of a beat. On a few tracks, a twangy pedal steel glides across, toying with Daltonís vocals and the backing rhythm. So, if youíre into the sweet sounds of the country ëSuckers or you dig the depth of Mr. Steve Earle, youíre gonna find yourself tapping your foot to this album and raising your glass for a toast. Itís
a rollercoaster of an album, back and forth between upbeat country
rock and meandering, heartbreaking ballads, Dalton and the boys can
make you feel. Track ten rolls in with a bit of thunder, churning
downhill from the last, hitting a bump and spinning into a dizzying,
stomping rendition of Diamondís ìSweet Caroline.î The album
closes out on ìThe Hangover Song,î with Dalton promising to just
get up the next day and do it all again." -Chaz Martenstein _______________________________________________________________________________ Big Bender Records) The Railbenders are a Denver based honky tonk outfit who's members are Jim Dalton (lead vocals , guitars), Tyson Murray (upright bass) and Graham Haworth (drums, backing vocals). Jim Dalton also writes the bands songs. The Railbenders' sound is hard core, hell raising honky tonk and they sing songs about boozin', lovin' & losin', livin' hard & partyin' hard and yep, even trains. It harkens back to the days of Cash, Haggard, Waylon and Willie. They've won two consecutive Best Country Band awards in the Westword Music Showcase and have opened shows for artists that include Willie Nelson, the Supersuckers, the Derailers, BR549, Junio r Brown and Pat Green. Segundo is the follow up to their acclaimed debut, Southbound. Joining them on Segundo are Eddie Spaghetti (the Supersuckers) who contributes guest vocals on two tracks, guitarist Chuck Hughes (Hillbilly Hellcats) and pedal-steelist Glenn Taylor (Slim Cessna's Auto Club). Where they added a western flavor to their driving honky tonk on Southbound, they deliver straight up whiskey soaked honky tonk on Segundo. On a disc filled with highlights, Segundo opens with the gorgeous two-stepping tale of loneliness and pain "Whiskey Rain" that moves into the equally strong "Country Song." Ramblin' ways and trains go traditionally hand in hand which is the case with the smoking barnburner "Midnight Train," and the boys crank it up into overdrive again on the devil-in-the-bottle tune "(One Hand On The Bottle) One Foot In The Grave." They deliver an outstanding, first rate shuffling barroom weeper with "Someone Take This Bottle" and they put an ingenious twist on barroom weepers with "Payphone" that mixes rock beats with crying guitar, resulting in one of the most original sounding stone honky tonkers to come along in a while. "Tombstone Serenade" is a dark and over the top two stepping take on the theme of murder and prison, a bit of a tongue in cheek parody, showing the Railbenders possess some cynically amusing humor. Segundo includes two covers, both duets with Eddie Spaghetti. The first is an obvious (but well chosen) choice given the band's Denver homebase, a waltzing, stark acoustic version of Hank Jr.'s "OD'd In Denver." The second cover comes from way out of left field and what (hopefully) appears to be something that's becoming a Railbenders tradition that further shows their sense of humor and proves that country music should also include an element of just being plain old fashioned fun. On Southbound the boys took Ozzy Osbourne's metal classic "Crazy Train" and successfully transformed it into an utterly convincing laid back country shuffle. On Segundo they chose for the second cover, Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" and turn it into a rollicking fast two-stepper that not only elicits a grin, but just completely works- and it only becomes more infectious with each successive listen. They end Segundo on an appropriate note after all that hell raisin' with a standout swaying 'closing time' weeper, "The Hangover Song." Jim Dalton possesses a strong, deep baritone and is a very formidable vocalist who's sometimes reminiscent of a young Johnny Cash. He's a terrific and witty songwriter who knows his way around a good, sturdy country song. The Railbenders play with amazing intensity and fire, another incredibly talented band who is faithfully carrying on tradition, toiling at their craft in the confines of regional bars and honky tonks and who most assuredly deserve far greater exposure. Segundo is a solid and well crafted album from start to finish, and anyone looking for well written, well performed hardcore whiskey drenched honky tonk, should seek out both this album and the Railbenders. www.takecountryback.com... _______________________________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________________________ Denver's Railbenders on honky-tonk track Feb. 15, 2004 By The Denver Post Segundo. The Railbenders. (Big Bender Records) From the opening notes of "Whiskey Rain," the Railbenders' alcohol-soaked evangelism makes you want to raise your hands to your God and/or your bartender. In their solid sophomore effort, "Segundo," Colorado's Americana kings hardly reinvent the form; they just deliver 11 honky-tonk barnburners that hark back musically to the heyday of Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings, but with a lead vocalist (Jim Dalton) who possesses just a hint of Chris Isaak's romantic menace. "(One Hand on the Bottle), One Foot in the Grave" promises to be the band's new live, boot-stomping standard, but "Segundo" soars with two ear-catching covers. Hank Williams Jr.'s sad "OD'd in Denver" features Dalton with guest vocalist Eddie Spaghetti of the Supersuckers. And knock me over with a bottle of Bud if the harmonies on Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" don't make you scream along at the top of your lungs. Other guest artists include guitarist Chuck Hughes (Hillbilly Hellcats), pedal-steelist Glenn Taylor (Slim Cessna's Auto Club) and Denver's Marty Jones, who co-wrote "Someone Take This Bottle." The Railbenders go off the track only once, with the terribly misguided and misogynist "Tombstone Serenade," a song that would be neither clever nor ironic in any era. Stick to the heartache and loneliness, boys, and leave the neck-grabbing and the shoving to the cretins of the world. - John Moore _______________________________________________________________________________ (02/04/2004 - www.higherlistening.com) "So much for the sophomore slump. Segundo, the new album by the Railbenders, picks up right were the much acclaimed Southbound (a top 10 Local CD in 2001) left off. It's a foot-stompin', whiskey-drinkin', hell-raisin' good time. There is no doubt that the Railbenders are a country band. We have songs about drinking too much, losing your woman and, oddly enough, one tune that includes a train. Yeah, it sounds like a stereotypical country music fodder, but that's where it stops being typical. What the Railbenders bring to the party are energy, passion and no compromises. While it shows more in their live show than on the album, there's almost a punk sensibility to their music. I'm not saying this is exactly how Green Day would sound if they grew up in Nashville, but I don't think they'd be far off. Graham Haworth gives a steady drum beat (no easy task at the pace some of the songs are taken at) and backing vocals. Tyson Murray plays upright bass and gives it a good, hard workout. Jim Dalton does just about everything else. His rich voice takes you in. His guitar drives the music. His songwriting makes you smile and sometimes want to cry. Oh, and he co-produced the album with Jeremy Lawton. They make effective use of some very talented guest musicians as well. "Whiskey Rain" starts the album off with a bang. It establishes the feeling of the recording. If you hadn't heard any Railbenders before, you'd still know 90% of what they were about with this one song. "Midnight Train" is a great ride and "Someone Take This Bottle" is also a highlight on the first part of the album. But Segundo really hits its stride on the back half. "Tombstone Serenade" is the kind of dark but strangely funny song the late, great Warren Zevon would have been proud of. "One Foot in the Grave" is another quick tune and "The Hangover Song" is a great way to wrap up, considering all the drinking songs beforehand. There are three songs on second half of the album that really stand out. Two of them are cover tunes with Eddie Spaghetti of the Supersuckers helping out on vocals. "O.D.'d in Denver" is a Hank Williams Jr. song which is perfect, considering the home base of the Railbenders. The other cover is an example of what I hope becomes a tradition on Railbender albums. On their first album, they covered Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train" and made it work as a country song. I'm not sure my metalhead brother will ever forgive me for making sure he heard it. This time out, they take on Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline." You almost can't help but smile. I played this song for three people without announcing what it was. I received a great look of surprise and approval from each. The last outstanding track I want to mention is "Payphone." It's a masterpiece of arrangement. Several verses feature a call and answer section where Jim Dalton's vocals are answered by some crying guitar. It's over a more rock-style drum beat and it just works. The words, the feeling and the sound all come together great stuff. I can't help but recommend this album. Jeremy Lawton and Jim Dalton did a fine job producing this album. Railbender music is good enough to make my rock music fan friends that are too cool for country publicly admit they like it. This album shows why the Railbenders have won two consecutive Best Country Band awards in the Westword Music Showcase. Written by: Myk-El (www.higherlistening.com) _______________________________________________________________________________ "Best Country/Bluegrass/Roots" - Westword Music Showcase 2003" "Best Country/Bluegrass band - Westword Music Showcase 2002" "Top 10 local CD's of 2001" Railbenders: "Southbound" ...John Moore, Denver Post 12/30/01 "Best Ozzy Cover by a Country Act "Crazy Train" The Railbenders" - This up-and-coming honky-tonk band plays the stuff that made Buck Owens, Johnny Cash and their peers famous. Like those artists, the 'Benders know a sense of humor is a key ingredient in successful classic country. The group's re-creation of Ozzy Osbourne's classic "Crazy Train" on its solid debut, Southbound, is a mind-bending thrill; it's funny, devoutly twangy and downright wistful. This is one train worth riding.".... Westword (Best of 2001) _______________________________________________________________________________ REVIEW of CD Release Party 1/23/2004 ... "For those who have never heard The Railbenders, I liken them to a cross between The Charlie Daniels Band and Johnny Cash (in fact, the lead singer admits their love for Mr. Cash and even did a cover of one of his songs). There were many quick transitions between the songs, and the band plays fast and intense. Myk-El tells me that if Green Day grew up in Nashville, they'd probably sound like this. The slower songs were spaced out well for the audience, and gave the band a chance to recover from the fast songs. The crowd was enthralled and the dance floor never emptied. Lead singer Jim Dalton has a very commanding stage presence, and was able to head off a potential barroom scuffle, which he then turned into the introduction for the next song. This was VERY well handled. I approve. ... if you like country music (REAL country, not the crap the radio stations play now), then see the Railbenders. If you like rock and roll, see the Railbenders. And, if you just want to go somewhere and have a good time, GO SEE THE RAILBENDERS!" Written by: Sh'wn (www.higherlistening.com ) _______________________________________________________________________________ From
Belgium..."Redelijk
straffe kost van een groepje dat van dezelfde poel drinkt als de
Bastard Sons Of Johnny Cash. De invloed van de Man In Black in zijn
jonge jaren is inderdaad ook hier onmiskenbaar aanwezig. En ook de
Railbenders brouwen met die bekende ingrediÎnten een bijzonder
aanstekelijk nieuw mengsel. Tal van lekkere hapklare brokken dan ook
hier! Opener “Southbound” zet meteen de toon voor wat een wild
ritje belooft te worden. En “Whiskey Saturday Night” is exact wat
hun label Big Bender Records van meet af aan beloofde: 180 Proof
Drinkin’ Music! Dit zou in een wat rechtvaardigere wereld regelmatig
uit zowat elke radio geknald komen en ook niet ÈÈn jukebox zou er
zonder kunnen… Aansluitend bevestigt “Lonesome Train”, als dat
nog nodig mocht zijn, onze Cashtheorie – waren train songs immers
geen stokpaardje van hun grote voorbeeld? Wij dachten van wÈl! Klassiek
countrymateriaal te over hier ook verder nog met ondermeer “There
Was A Time”, “Texas Sun”, “Crazy Train” (Nog eentje!) en het
als bezeten voortjakkerende “Breakneck Speed”. Onze
absolute favoriet is evenwel het twangzwangere “Whiskey Drinkin’
Man”, dat op een zalige gitaarlijn als een op hol geslagen trein
doordendert. Wil
er iemand dit combo a.u.b. zo snel mogelijk naar de Lage Landen halen?" |
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