By Alex Muhindura/entertainment editor
Native sons Eleven Hundred Springs’ new CD Country Jam should make Texans statewide proud.
Their raw yet even-keeled music sounds as much at home in the dorm rooms of Austin as it does on the plains of West Texas.
The band, one of the last true outlaw country groups, sounds like nothing else on the radio right now.
The band sings about regular topics like women, Fords and booze, but it doesn’t sound like a put-on.
Steve Berg’s bass sets the tone and provides a cozy backdrop of rhythm. Jordan Hendrix does a great job on the fiddle and gives the band its country feel.
Matt Hillyer’s soothing, Southern drawl, alongside his bouncy guitar play and authentic songwriting and rhythm provide the heart and soul of the band.
Some of the standout tracks include “I’ll Be Here for You” and “Fallin’ Off the Wagon.”
On the former, Hillyer sings a love song that resembles a lullaby while the drums provide a frenetic, yet controlled rhythm.
On “Fallin’ Off the Wagon,” Hillyer reminisces about the debauchery that follows a night of heavy drinking.
While some of the other songs sound repetitive in sound and theme, they remain fun and worth a second listen.
On its new CD, Eleven Hundred Springs made some entertaining music that should please country fans and lure in new listeners.
