Bad Livers Industry And Thrift CD

Bad Livers: Danny Barnes (banjo); Mark Rubin.
Additional personnel: Ames Asbell, Mike Maddux, Leigh Mahoney, Lloyd Maines, Sara Nelson, Fred Remmert, Ben Saffer, Lisa Schneider, Steve Schwelling, Paul "Tex" Sweeny, Jake Zuckerman.
Recorded at Cedar Creek Recording, Austin, Texas.
Bluegrass with attitude. A very weird attitude, in fact. It isn't too difficult to imagine Bad Livers communing with Sugar Hill Records' other satirical cowboys, the Austin Lounge Lizards (with Terry Allen sitting in on the odd session, of course). Industry and Thrift manages to range all the way from the less sensible edges of bluegrass (of which there are many) to the bluegrass fringes of klezmer (which they seem to have had a hand in building themselves, with some inspiration from various worldly weirdos such as 3 Mustaphas 3). The result is an amusing and highly eclectic set that never stays in any single place long enough to get firmly categorized. A fun record. ~ Steven McDonald
Audacious as ever, the Austin-based country rockers Bad Livers continue to perfect their songwriting skills on INDUSTRY AND THRIFT. The Livers have come a long way since their inception as a band, when they covered rock songs (ranging from Iggy Pop to Motorhead) in a hyper-bluegrass style all their own. On their fifth album, the Livers consist of a core duo of bassist Mark Rubin and Danny Barnes on banjo and vocals, surrounded by an extended musical family (including a trademark loudmouth tuba). All manage to have a great time while putting their musical aptitude front and center on songs like "Brand New Hat," with its fast-pickin' intro and warped, slow motion finale. In a musical era with an abundance of insurgent country bands, Bad Livers stand out as authentic rebels, bringing a true punk sensibility to their down-home, twangy music and lyrical gloom and goofiness.