In spite of the fact that most of their members come from California, The Weary Boys display an almost forensic awareness of country music. Now based in Austin, TX, the Boys sound like they were born there in the same way John Fogerty sounded like he was really born on the bayou. Equal parts bluegrass, roots rock and traditional country, The Weary Boys have studied the right masters and, as a result their country cadences and twangy timing, are, to say the least, dead on. Their new album Jumpin’ Jolie is an effortless blend of back porch
acoustic music that’s steeped in the tradition of everyone from Hank Williams to George Jones. Between rootsy old time rave-ups (“Baby Have No Fun�), fiddling instrumentals (“Lost Bayou Ramble�, “Hoot Owl�) and a Tex-Mex cover of “Jambalaya,� there’s plenty to recommend. There’s nothing but reverence for Texas torch and twang here, and only on the homesick ballad “California Sunset� and the surf-tinged “Baby’s Got A Hold On Me� do the band tip their hand and give a nod to their California roots.
Alex Green
