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Feb 14, 2011Soon Hammond's "You Smoke Too Much" is fitting right in. As together as can be expected, and as Miller requests with a hint of desperation, "Please Hold On While the Train Is Moving."
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Dec 21, 2010Seventeen years and eight albums into their career; The Grand Theatre Volume One is a welcomed second wind.
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Saying The Grand Theatre, Vol. 1 is a return to form unnecessarily belittles the last few Old 97's albums that came before it, but calling it their best album since Fight Songs is just about right.
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Dec 20, 2010The last couple 97's discs were perhaps negatively affected by frontman and principal songwriter Rhett Miller's burgeoning solo career, but here he seems doubly inspired, and the band charges alongside, particularly Ken Bethea, whose guitar play remains snaky and evocative.
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Oct 26, 2010It's this aura of creepiness that makes The Grand Theatre one of the band's best albums to date.
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When Old 97's are on--which they are most of the time on their eighth studio album--they're very, very on. Rhett Miller's writing is the definition of neatly sculpted songcraft, with every piece firmly in place, and not a bit of fat.
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Jul 6, 2011Despite its flaws, Vol. 2 is the second-best thing the Olds have done in a decade.
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Dec 21, 2010The Old 97's latest effort mimics the end of the workweek. At first, the possibilities seem endless. Every moment, just like every possible meaning, could be the one you've been looking for.
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This multivolume project will still trigger honky-tonk mosh pits: See "A State of Texas," which suggests you can be true to your roots even when you've outgrown them.
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Despite frontman Rhett Miller's nice-guy tendencies, Old 97's are way more fun when he gives in to his bitchy side--which is large and in charge on The Grand Theatre, runaway-train backbeats and all.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 2 out of 2
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Mixed: 0 out of 2
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Negative: 0 out of 2
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Oct 21, 2010Fantastic start, weak finish, but best album in a decade by far! Look forward to part II coming in May.