Tailgate South - Don't Fix It (2008)

Tailgate South is comprised of three dudes: one, Mickey Kelley, is a talented one of those songwriters, and the other two, Tony Lopacinski and Mike Meadows, are a talented two of those guitar pickers (who also happen to be seasoned songwriters).

Mickey sings lead while Tony and Mike back him up. Important note: Tony and Mike are transplants from the rock world. This makes sense, because country is the new pop/rock—look at crossovers like Jewel, Jessica Simpson, Bon Jovi, etc.—not to mention the fact that a lot of new country music sounds like Matchbox 20 with a pedal steel.

So, to what extent does rock music rear its beautifully ugly head on this pop country record? The album opener, “Back Behind the Barn,” a song about where natives of rural milieux go to engage in sexual congress, cleverly rips off the main riff of AC/DC’s “Back in Black.” And Tailgate South’s guitar work is exactly what blurs the line between country and rock for the record’s more aggressive tracks. “Million Miles from Monday” starts with a riff that astutely fuses country chicken-pickin’ and 70s southern rock à la Skynyrd’s “Gimme Three Steps.” The aforementioned “Redneck Radio” includes a breakdown section reminiscent of Aerosmith’s “Love in an Elevator.” These harder influences give Don’t Fix It a tone familiar to heavy rock fans while maintaining a charming pop sensibility.

Consider “Country Romeo,” a feel-good love song that says it all in the title and tastefully flirts with sentimentality—the kind of tenderness that will put a cheesy smile on your face without making you feel cheesy. The title track similarly paints a sweet picture of domesticity; there’s work to be done, sure, but it can wait until a little more love gets made. All this affection, of course, is well dispersed amongst other standard country themes like drinking and strumming an old guitar. In fact, Don’t Fix It is the perfect title for this album. Tailgate South’s debut is a meticulously crafted obeisance to the high art of simplicity.

A healthy share of backing musicians on this album’s success can be attributed to the solicitous instrumentals—in other words, these cats sound like they actually like what they’re playing. Listen to drummer Kevin Murphy on “Redneck Radio.” He apparently got the memo that the band was re-recording Led Zeppelin II. Whether that memo was real or imaginary, he lit that track on fire. Bass player Amos Heller can hold a groove like the old Stax guys while pushing massive air like Flea—in a word: beefcake. Will Doughty, who contributes outstanding middle ground texture to every single track, plays keys with enviable fluidity, and Kevin Arrowsmith’s fiddle soars with style and grace.

Track List:

01 - Back Behind The Barn
02 - Country Romeo
03 - That's Where We're Going
04 - Don't Fix It
05 - Me Or The Whiskey
06 - Million Miles From Monday
07 - Party Of One
08 - Without Breaking Down
09 - Redneck Radio
10 - It's All Up To You

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