DT: MARCH 18, 2010
FM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/SARAH LUERY/CHELSI SCHRIVER, MSO
JASON BOLAND AND THE STRAGGLERS
SET TO RELEASE
HIGH IN THE ROCKIES: A LIVE ALBUM
APRIL 20
Crackling with the raw outlaw voltage that has made them one of the fastest-rising forces in contemporary country, the quintet’s execution and delivery is uniformly impressive, and with material divided between Stragglers standards and fan favorites, the album rises to a profound new elevation that is reflected in a most fitting choice of title. Whether reveling in the Okie kickback groove of “Tulsa Time”—the album’s first single and video—or re-defining the epic despair of Boland’s classic “Bottle By My Bed,” their sound, characterized by ebullient musicianship and passionate vocals, links country music’s past to its future with admirable expertise. Illuminated by luxurious employ of dobro, fiddle and mandolin, HIGH IN THE ROCKIES is a perfect mix of the progressive and the traditional.
Every song here by Boland and his bandmates—Roger Ray on steel, lead guitar and dobro; fiddler Noah Jeffries; bassist Grant Tracy; and drummer Brad Rice—is delivered with an invigorated emphasis, and titles like “Comal County Blue” and “Backslider Blues” resonate with fresh new contours, while the case-hardened tenderness of “Jesus And Ruger” again underscores Boland’s mastery as a lyricist and interpreter.
“It was time for a live album, and also to get a photograph of the five of us now,” Boland said. “I’m really happy with the material we chose. It stems from The Bourbon Legend and Comal County Blue and we went back and mined a couple of our older songs, and songs like Merle Haggard’s ‘Rainbow Stew’ and Tom Russell’s ‘Gallo Del Cielo,’ that fans kept requesting and never let die.”
Loaded with banging drama, wry observations and soul-deep expression, HIGH IN THE ROCKIES documents an extraordinary transformative period for the band and continues the fulfillment of Jason Boland and The Stragglers’ extraordinary promise. “We got over being young and the entrapment of limitations on your instrument, vocals, writing–and the entrapments of life, love, chemicals.” Boland said. “I’ve reached the point where I don’t over-think it and simply do the music honestly. I don’t care about fame or the pop culture machine–you’ll never see us on ‘Nashville Star’ or ‘American Idol.’ We look to the populist grassroots, we’re not in it for fame and cash. Seriously, it’s all about living free.”
See the video for “Tulsa Time” here:
http://www.thestragglers.com/stragglers_tv.php
DATE | CITY | VENUE | |||
Thu | 3/18 | Commerce, TX | Drunken Mule Saloon | ||
Fri | 3/19 | Memphis, TN | Newby’s | ||
Sat | 3/20 | Idabel, OK | Phil’s Big Rock Saloon | ||
*Mon | 3/22 | San Marcos, TX | Cheatham Street Warehouse | ||
Thu | 3/25 | Lincoln, NE | Uncle Ron's | ||
Fri | 3/26 | Altamont, IL | Luke's Bar and Grill | ||
Sat | 3/27 | Lawrence, KS | Granada Theater | ||
Thu | 4/8 | Corpus Christi, TX | Brewster Street Icehouse | ||
Fri | 4/9 | Old Town Spring, TX | Texas Crawfish Festival | ||
Sat | 4/10 | Poteet, TX | Poteet Strawberry Festival | ||
Thu | 4/15 | Oklahoma City, OK | Wormy Dog Saloon | ||
Fri | 4/16 | Tulsa, OK | Cain's Ballroom | ||
Sat | 4/17 | Fort Worth, TX | Billy Bob's Texas | ||
Tue | 4/20 | Fort Smith, AR | The Rib Room | ||
Wed | 4/21 | Stephenville, TX | Larry Joe Taylor's Texas Music Festival | ||
Thu | 4/22 | Abilene, TX | Lucky Mule | ||
Fri | 4/23 | Lake Conroe, TX | County Line BBQ | ||
Sat | 4/24 | Austin, TX | Lone Star State Jam – Waterloo Park | ||
Sun | 4/25 | Waco, TX | Hog Creek Ice House | ||
Wed | 4/28 | San Antonio, TX | County Line BBQ | ||
Fri | 4/30 | College Station, TX | Hurricane Harry's | ||
Sat | 5/1 | Port O'Connor, TX | Port O'Connor Community Center | ||
Thu | 5/6 | Longview, TX | The Levee | ||
Fri | 5/7 | Dallas, TX | Gilley's | ||
Sat | 5/8 | Richmond, TX | Haute Time In Texas Festival | ||
Thu | 5/13 | Kearney, NE | Shooters | ||
Sat | 5/15 | North Platte, NE | Shooters – North Platte | ||
Wed | 5/19 | Columbia, MO | The Blue Note | ||
Thu | 5/20 | Kansas City, MO | Knuckleheads | ||
Sat | 5/22 | Altamont, IL | Effingham County Fairgrounds | ||
Wed | 5/26 | The Woodlands, TX | Dosey Doe | ||
Sat | 5/29 | Harker Heights, TX | Carl Levin Park | ||
Fri | 6/18 | San Antonio, TX | Cowboy's Dancehall | ||
Sat | 6/26 | Mesquite, TX | Resistol Arena | ||
Sat | 7/3 | Canadian, TX | Jones Pavilion | ||
Fri | 7/16 | Pawhuska, OK | Cavalcade Rodeo | ||
Sat | 7/24 | Woodward, OK | Woodward Elks Rodeo | ||
Thu | 7/29 | Grapevine, TX | Glass Cactus | ||
Fri | 7/30 | Houston, TX | Firehouse Saloon | ||
Sat | 8/7 | Bastrop, TX | Bastrop Homecoming | ||
Fri | 8/27 | Miami, OK | Buffalo Run Casino | ||
Sat | 8/28 | Fayetteville, AR | George's Majestic Lounge | ||
Sun | 8/29 | Clinton, AR | Bar of Ranch | ||
Sat | 9/4 | Lampe, MO | Black Oak Mountain Amphitheater | ||
Sat | 10/9 | Floresville, TX | Floresville Peanut Festival | ||
Sat | 10/16 | Kyle, TX | Kyle Fair and Music Festival | ||
* Jason Solo Acoustic Show |
About JASON BOLAND AND THE STRAGGLERS:
For press inquiries, please contact:
Mitch Schneider, Sarah Luery and Chelsi Schriver at MSO
mschneider@msopr.com
sluery@msopr.com
cschriver@msopr.com
http://