The Cadillac Three - Bury Me In My Boots (Album Review)
Tuesday, 23 August 2016
Written by Simon Ramsay
If you cut the Cadillac Three straight down the middle you’d probably find the word ‘southern’ grinning back at you with an empty bottle of whiskey in one hand and battered pack of smokes in the other. Faithful to their Tennessee heritage and genuine to a fault, they’ve poured heart and soul into ‘Bury Me In My Boots’, a truly special second album that, without a hint of compromise, retains the band’s roughhouse swagger while adding electrifying mainstream appeal.
Anyone unfamiliar with the history of Jaren Johnston, Kelby Ray and Neil Mason may have been worried when – on the back of 2012’s raucous debut ‘Tennessee Mojo’ – they signed with Music Row’s Big Machine Records, home to Taylor Swift and Tim McGraw. Combine that with the enlistment of producer Dan Huff, who regularly turns country acts into polished pop stars, and fears rose that a sonic airbrushing was on the cards.
That was never likely to happen, though, as the threesome have already negotiated major label shenanigans with their previous outfit, American Bang, and were unlikely to be railroaded twice.
This time they’ve chosen supportive collaborators who’ve allowed their artistry to breathe. They’ve harnessed - not moulded - their talents to create a record that marries souped-up production values with authentic craftsmanship and salt of the earth character.
Welding Delta fire with country soul in a way that’s gritty, powerful and supremely melodic, the title-track finds Johnston yearning to be laid to rest in all his redneck glory as ‘ratty’ friends throw him one hell of a send-off shindig. Such down home simplicity flows from their upbringing, colouring much of a record that’s essentially a love letter to southern living.
Peace, Love & Dixie’s cool groove unfurls a husky ZZ Top-style eulogy to old school values, their inherited drawl receives a galloping salute on This Accent and The South – which features a gospel choir containing Dierks Bentley and Florida Georgia Line - is their pumped up answer to Sweet Home Alabama.
The record is certainly radio-friendly, but that doesn’t dampen the band’s primal power or debauched playfulness. Nor does it result in a parade of bro-country clichés. Swampy instrumental textures combine with Johnston’s rustic rasp to render these tunes truthful expressions of their personality, not calculated cookie-cutter fare.
Slide and Party Like You are bluegrass firecrackers that have been jabbed with a rock ‘n’ roll cattle prod courtesy of Ray’s incendiary dobro, while the frisky Hot Damn could do with an ice cold shower. The stoned hilarity of Shipfaced finds the inebriated gang on the high seas listening to country star, er, Bimmy Juffet.
Their songwriting is simply wonderful, exploring country, blues, Americana, hard rock and beyond. The riotous Soundtrack To A Six Pack delivers countrified hip-hop, White Lightning is so romantic that it’s set to be the first dance at many a deep south wedding and Graffiti is pure Bruce Springsteen, reimagining The Ghost Of Tom Joad and Streets of Philadelphia as a rose-tinted poem about small town triumphs.
A sprawling southern rock masterpiece that’s as mature and classic as it is explosive and contemporary, ‘Bury Me In My Boots’ is likely to be the Cadillac Three’s all access pass to headlining big venues and all the trappings of fame they couldn’t give a shit about.
The Cadillac Three Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Sat November 05 2016 - MANCHESTER O2 Ritz
Sun November 06 2016 - LONDON O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire
Mon November 07 2016 - CAMBRIDGE Junction
Wed November 09 2016 - GLASGOW O2 ABC
Thu November 10 2016 - BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy Birmingham
Fri November 11 2016 - BRISTOL O2 Academy2 Bristol
Sun November 13 2016 - BELFAST Empire Music Hall
Mon November 14 2016 - DUBLIN Whelans
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