Posted on: April 21, 2009 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Cincinnati’s favorite sons, 500 Miles To Memphis, obviously have their share of Willie and Waylon CDs in constant rotation on their tour bus. Probably best described as country punk, the band blends the noise and energy of Social Distortion with the song writing of the Highwaymen.

Think power chords with plenty of lap steel guitar. Sunshine in a Shot Glass is a solid take on the genre, showcasing a band that could hold its own against groups like Lucero or Drive-By Truckers. The songs take enough influence from punk and classic country that you can almost hear anyone from Johnny Cash to Rancid singing a song like “Broken, Busted, Bloody.” There are a dozen tracks here, and each is nearly as strong as the next.

Top Tracks: “All My Friends Are Crazy,” “Broken, Busted, Bloody” and “Darlin’”

Rating: 8.8 out of 10

500 Miles to Memphis – Sunshine in a Shot Glass / Vinyl / 2009 Good Friends Records / 12 Tracks / http://www.goodfriendsrecords.com

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