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Closed
Drag The River
Upland/O&O Records

If any out-of-stater mentions the word "cowboy" to most members of the Colorado rock/punk scene, they’re likely to be on the receiving end of a ear-melting string of swears or a hearty scowl. No, The Centennial State’s history as a homeland for cowpokes, trappers and the occasional Little House on the Prairie-style pioneer isn’t exactly the pride and joy for anyone in a scene that’s often seen as a layover between tour stops in Los Angeles and Chicago.

Maybe that’s really the problem: You can’t run from your past, no matter how unsophisticated it is. It’s a truth that Drag the River (which, incidentally, is made up of members of Colorado punk acts Armchair Martian, ALL and The Nobodys) has come to terms with. On its sophomore effort, the alt-country act ditches most of the fashionable touches its "alt-" prefix gave it for a sound that’s even closer to classic country than its previous work. This isn’t the sound of Nashville’s deep-pocket pop production, nor is it the stuff of trendy alt-country/roots tooters; Drag the River is nothing but back-porch country that’s been raised on greats such as Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and Hank Williams Sr.

As unlikely as a formula as the punks-gone-western one is, it works astoundingly well for the Drag the River posse, mostly because songwriters Jon Snodgrass and Chad Price approach their craft with refreshing honesty. There’s no glamour to be found anywhere on Closed, but rather the songs of the down’n’out that have been the staple of true country music since its inception. With a mix of pedal steel, standup bass and a pair of acoustic guitars, Drag the River’s set aside its punk dynamics for a relaxed and tuneful sound. Whether it lets its steel conjure up images of cactus and coyotes in tunes about the ol’ rotgut ("Medicine" and "Booze and Pills"), or busts out an old-fashioned, brokenhearted weepy ("Calloused Heart #2" and "Song for Robin Reichhardt"), the act’s got a better grasp on its western roots than most acts in the business. Closed doesn’t jump with cowpunk jive, it doesn’t flirt with rockabilly sounds and it doesn’t crawl along in roots-rock misery, a fact that’ll make it highly uncool in the underground, though a rock-solid cut of true underground country.