Nashville – ZZ Top, Spoon, Eli Young Band – you would have to be living under a rock, sanctioned off from all music of any kind to not have heard of at least one of these bands. The thing they all have in common? Texas. These bands (and many more) are from the second largest state in the union, and all have found some form of success. 

Out of the same Texan woodwork is emerging The Longshots, a band of five members (Joey Gorman – Vocals/Guitar/Bass; Alex Zobel – Vocals/Lead Guitar; Kris Luther – Bass/Guitar; Parker Donaldson – Guitar/Vocals; and Brady Hamilton – Drums). Their self-titled album was released on February 25^th, and as this junk rock band begins its U.S. tour it seems only appropriate to study the music they’re setting out to promote.

The artwork for the album is interesting – an oxymoron of simple intricacy. It displays a white background with the band name in large print in the right hand corner. To the left is a large photo of what appears to be a country-looking Abraham Lincoln (cowboy hat and all) from Texas with flames erupting from the right side of his neck in a large fireball. His hands are up in an “oh well” sort of move. The style of the cover artwork alludes nicely to the music you will find within, as the style of ‘junk rock’ certainly contains a multitude of antonymous statements: logical chaos, organized disorganization, serious fun.

The album opens with a song titled “Too High for West 7^th” which opens with a few methodical, carefully laid out chords by the guitar before dissolving into musical madness. Static vocals compete with the bands’ energetic musicianship in a complementary way as they create a structured chaos. This song in particular makes one think of a mosh pit where the crowd simply tosses away all concern and focus and leaps in to face anything and everything with brutal bravery. The ending of the song certainly references the title of the track as it slowly comes down off its high into a slow, progressive, easy end. The progression of the album is interesting as each song seems to take on a more focused method of playing.  The introductory song seems almost overwhelming in the amount of just crazy rock and roll, but you have nothing to fear as The Longshots know how to ease a listener into the genre of junk rock.

The very next track, “Snakefoot,” launches you into a rock world that you didn’t know you loved. This song allows for a more organized setting, providing for the listener a steady beat and clearer lyrics to move along and sing to. Later songs like “My Sweet Lime” and “Me or California” resonate more with the rock crowd versus the mosh pit, all-or-nothing fans and “Back to Rio Grande” calls back to the band’s Texan roots with less pandemonium and more careful chord progressions and melodies that are easier for the average listener to follow. Meanwhile, “At A Time Like This” calls (literally) for a crowd involvement with its fast-paced evolution and chorus of voices joining in on the chorus.

The lyrical development is at times difficult to follow – which is perhaps part of what The Longshots are looking to accomplish. Sometimes even just closing your eyes and listening doesn’t provide the clarity a music fan is looking for in the singing, but that’s the beauty and mystique of junk rock. It has many, many layers – it’s only through listening to the album several times over that it becomes more than just an abundance of loud music. The lyrics become more prominent until you can understand that in “Too High for West 7^th” The Longshots are discussing the pressures of life and how sometimes you need to just let go. The music, then, makes more sense – it is initially overwhelming because that is what the song is about. Life is overwhelming and frustrating, but once you really focus, you discover that there are other things to care about than just the first vexations.

The Longshots’ self-titled album is itself somewhat of a complexity, but one worth studying. It’s complex, fascinating, and has more layers than I can count – in fact, I’m going to need to listen to it more than the twenty or so times I’ve already heard it to get more of a firm grasp on what’s happening. That’s a good thing, though, because The Longshots understand that music is allowed to be confusing and overwhelming at first with hidden meanings that it takes awhile to understand. It makes for an interesting listen. And make no mistake – junk rock is the genre they have named for themselves, and they work hard to define that particular area of music. One thing is for sure, as crazy as the album is, it should make for an even crazier live performance.