EDITORIAL REVIEWS
A near perfect melding of country and rock (but not "country rock,") and will get moneymakers shakin' from Bakersfield to Boston. Even doses of honky tonk stylings and indie-rock schutzpah. "Tempe, AZ's Grievous Angels stomp through a tour-de-force of Bakersfield honky-tonk that would make Buck Owens and Merle Haggard proud." - POPMATTERS

Tempe, Arizona's Grievous Angels keep the faith that is loosely defined as alt-country with their third Bloodshot Records release, Miles on the Rail. It's all there, from the scratchy guitars and overheated rhythms (a la former labelmates Old 97s) plucked from the punk-rock gutter to the rootsy textures and lonesome, yelpy sentiments that hearken back to Saints Gram and Hank. So how come it all feels so perfunctory? Maybe it's because, while their own "Seven Engines," for example, offers as much corner-bar spirit as one could ask for, their cover of Tom Waits's "Cold Cold Ground" is the collection's most engaging moment. Or maybe it's because, at this point, bands merging country and garage rock are a dime a dozen. Ditto for Miles on the Rail. It's spirited, heartfelt, and nearly guaranteed to get your twangy ya-yas out. It's just nothing new. --Neal Weiss