Dirty Impound – Albums of the Week

http://www.dirtyimpound.com/2013/09/albums-of-the-week-september-19-september-25-2/
 
The Band of Heathens: Sunday Morning Record (BOH Records)
A humanizing breeze blows through the fourth studio album from this consistently excellent Austin-based roots-pop-rock outfit. Sunday Morning Record (released September 17 on the band’s own label) is perfect music for being served weekend breakfast in bed by someone special that’s also equally simpatico with being one’s sole companion as they make their own coffee and eggs. All 11-tracks seem born of those hours just past dawn where the day stretches out ahead but the mind contemplative and quiet enough to pick up on the subtleties drowned out once the world gets active.
The Band of Heathens, now centered around singer-songwriter-guitarists Ed Jurdi and Gordy Quist after some major shakeups both personal and lineup related, hit the sweet spot between Doug Sahm, early Eagles and something more Badfinger-y, the album strolling confidently while retaining a lil’ Texas drawl. There’s a friendly intimacy to most of Sunday Morning Record, though any ambitious FM program director looking for a cool surprise to slot in next to the new Jack Johnson and Sheryl Crow singles would do well to slot in “Records In Bed” on the regular. Clear, 70s warm production from George Reiff andSteve Christensen cements the feeling the BOH is a worthy descendent of folks like Poco and The Long Ryders – i.e. guys who make it sound so easy and together that one might miss how good you have to be to pull this stuff off so very well.
[Pick up the album here, and again, know you’re doing you’re part to keep good music independent and alive]. (DC)