Bare Naked Ladies Twangy style
02/15/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Read the review of the Washington Post at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10790-2004Feb3.html
Dollar Store is a twangy spinoff from the fabulous Waco Brothers, a Chicago-based outfit with a knack for lacing surefire country-rock with incisive left-wing politics. Living legend Jon Langford (of the Mekons, among many others) fronts the Wacos. Dollar Store is owned and operated by Langford's six-string-slinging cohort, Dean Schlabowske. Schlabowske is a Milwaukee native who sings like he was born on the bayou and plays guitar like he learned it by watching "Hee Haw" reruns. "Around the Bend," the best cut on Dollar Store's sizzling, self-titled debut, is pure Buck Owens bliss. And the rockabilly foot-stomper "Button Up" comes equipped with enough ferocious picking and grinning to make Roy Clark proud. But Dollar Store is influenced as much by punk as by country, and Schlabowske shares Langford's Clash-like political views to boot. Set opener "New Country" is a rubbery, banjo-flecked screed about get-rich-quick schemes (e.g. capitalism) and immigrant dreams permanently deferred. "Working Line," meanwhile, is a feisty Johnny Paycheck knockoff, a workingman's ode to taking his job and shoving it. Elsewhere, roots rocker Dave Alvin works a couple of shifts at the Store, transforming an unlikely cover of Cher's mega-huge "Believe" into radio-ready country-pop. The former Blaster also threads bluesy lead lines through "Amazing Disgrace." That lumbering ballad suffers a bit from cutesy wordplay. But like the disc itself, the song ultimately gets by on the strength of a lassoed-tight melody and enough electric twang to power a county fair. -- Shannon Zimmerman ..."
SXSW pick
04/06/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There are many acts one can catch at SXSW, the annual music/arts festival held in Austin, TX. I had not heard of Dollar Store before, and I was at Opal Divine's Freehouse to see Trailer Bride and the Yahoos....but I keep putting Dollar Store back in my personal rotation. Now, I have been to SXSW several times in the past and there is always one band I come back with that stands out....Dollar Store was the one this year.
(read Zimmerman's review, that says alot and I agree with it...)Rockin' alt-country? Well, OK, but just really good stuff, surprised me they're from Chicago, but much good music has come from there, and Dollar Store upholds the tradition. No pussyfooting, just good rock and roll (er-excuse me, rockabilly). And that is no perjorative!! I will try to catch them again live, and you should too. I hope they keep this up."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1