Search - BR549 :: This Is BR549

Way too slick

tim bays | Oklahoma city, ok. United States | 10/28/2001

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I was one of the lucky one's to see br5-49 at roberts weastern wear when I lived in nashville we had big fun there. this album is WAY over produced get any other br5-49 album before you buy this album, to slick, to over produced AND A Ann Murry cover to boot, sony and lucky dog records is killing my hero's, the Derailers,Charlie Robison and now BR5-49 if they come at Wyane Hancock with a recording Contract I hope he throws a hand grenade at them"

BR549 - Without the Hyphen

Gordon Treloar | California, MD United States | 01/11/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"BR549 has updated their name and their sound. Past BR549 albums have pulled heavily from the 1940's and 50's as BR covered such traditional country honky-tonk stars as, Webb Pierce, Ray Price, Buck Owens and Johnny Horton. "This is BR549" updates their songs to the 1960's and 70's as they cover The Everly Brothers, "The Price of Love" and Anne Murray's "A Little Good News". My first instinct when I heard Gary Bennett belt out "A Little Good News" was "This isn't a BR549 song". But the more I listened to the song, the more I appreciated this plaintive song.I've always appreciated BRs cover songs but what sets this band apart is their self-penned tunes. Chuck Mead's "Too Lazy to Work, Too Nervous to Steal" is a raucous romp as well as his "Fool of the Century". Chuck's songs are just plain fun. I can never watch the Andy Griffith show again without thinking about Chuck's "Me and Opie Down by the Duck Pond", included on BR's "Live at Roberts" album.Gary Bennett's "Walk in my Shoes" is a sheer delight. Gary is the soul of BR549. I still get shivers when I hear Gary sing "Big Mouth Blues" on BR's "Coast to Coast" album. He puts his all into that song. Don Herron's lively fiddle, steel and mandolin play are hard to beat. He is about as gifted a musician as their is. On "This is BR549" the screaming guitars and Donnie's fiddle are flawlessly blended. I have seen many live BR549 performances. It is hard to capture the BR549 sound on their studio albums. Their high energy is somehow lost. If there is any fault in "This is BR549" is that it fails to capture there high energy level. "Live at Roberts" and "Coast to Coast" do a much better job at this. But in the end, "This is BR549" is just plain fun. I love the new sound and the new songs are a great accompaniment to the traditional rockabilly tunes that BR549 is famous for. BR549 continues to be my favorite band and I can't wait to see what new path they will lead me."

Hardest Workin' Band in Music

Alison Peveto | Buna, TX United States | 02/21/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"BR549 is one of those rare bands that comes along and mixes a love and talent for making music with a ton of personality. The band takes it's name from a skit from the cornball country comedy show Hee Haw and have a style that mixes rockabilly, honky-tonk and swing. For their newest album, BR549 dropped the hyphen from their name, but little else has changed since the last few. Anyone who has seen these guys put on a live show can't help but like them. They are one of the hardest working bands in music today and they keep the audience entertained as they crack truly funny jokes and get after it on the stand up bass. From the sound of their newest album, they must work as hard in the studio as on the stage. Their most recent release, entitled This is BR549, is a foot-tapping kind of album that is charged with emotion and could be the band's best chance yet at recognition by Music Row.
The album opens on a strong note with the quirky, rowdy "Too Lazy To Work, Too Nervous to Steal." This is the kind of song that the repeat button on the CD player is made for. After opening up strong, the band launches into a remake of the Everly Brothers' "Price of Love." The not only do the song justice, but they make it their own with a fresh sound that mixes early rockabilly with a modern crispness. The boys keep up their reputation as funny guys with the hilarious song, "Psychic Lady," which has lyrics such as "Psychic Lady, you drive me crazy/With your video voodoo and your beehive hairdo." BR549 is well known for songs that delve into humor without becoming simple comedy. On this particular collection, they explore some new sounds, including some slower, more somber songs that reflect a certain maturity and sincerity. One such song is "A Little Good News," a remake of an Anne Murray hit from the 1980s. In "A Little Good News," a man reflects on sad situations that seem to be facing people everywhere and he searches for something positive. Other ballads such as "The Game" and "Different Drum" are more reflective than much of the music we have come to expect from BR549. Of course, the album contains swinging numbers like "Play That Fast Thing One More Time," the kind of songs that involve a spinning stand up bass and twirling guitars in the live show. This is BR549 is a great find because it is a gem coming from one of the most unique bands around today. BR549 manages to give longtime fans a taste of what they keep coming back for, while exploring some new paths and taking a different approach on certain songs."