After having a chance to listen to the new album (self titled and dropping May 25th on Silver Arrow Records) and connect up with Smitty for a phoner, I was pretty sure that I was going to be digging on some live Truth & Salvage CO. in Der Rathskeller and man was I ever hitting that nail on the head. They were to play outside on the Terrace but the weather forced us in…I only wonder what the experience would be like in front of the lake? The bands parts hail from diverse Southern and mid-Western backgrounds, but make up a sound that feels so real and true, like these cats were all brothers that have made these songs grow together as they grew up individually and added their pieces to the sounds and words. They have recently done tours with the Black Crowes (Chris Robinson produced the new album) and the Avett Brothers, this six piece band is lyrically clever and witty, while engaging the listeners into some backyard story telling at times. But the side of the band that caught my ear as the night moved on was the complete rockin’ side. The groups riveting set closer “Pure Mountain Angel” and a healthy rendition of the Band’s “Shape I’m in” still have my ass kicked, the boot mark on my jeans proves it. These guys are booking around playing out in many places, I hope you’ll get a chance to meet up with them and say hello. Maybe some of you will catch them at Bonaroo on June 11th, and they still have a couple of gigs on the schedule left with the Crowes coming up mid summer. Either way, look for Truth & Salvage CO. to be knocking on your I-Pod’s door sometime in the nEAR future with an “ADD ME” sign, and I hope you’ll oblige.
