O - Ribviews

Whether they’re straight out of the kitchen or have been sitting under a heat lamp for a minute, here is a sample of releases Ribbers decided to taste. Like other zines, we have rated them, but with our own complicated culinary system – from one rib (lowest) to five ribs (bestest).

Outformation Tennessee Before Daylight (Outerprise). 3 ribs-Mild and Southern styled.
This one's for those who like their rock tinged with twang a la other Georgia outfits like Drive-by Truckers and Drivin' n Cryin'. Recorded in Nashville and produced by Widespread Panic's Jo Jo Hermann, who mostly leaves the jam-band thing behind and lends a hand(s) on keyboards, this trio's debut LP gets off to a rollicking start with the good-timin' boogie of "Game On" then mellows out on the title track before doing a Dead-on impression at the end of one its strongest cuts, "90." The other, "Center Stage," is an infectious instrumental groove preceded by the funked-up and freaktified five and a half minutes of "'Bout My Money." The playing here is energetic and invigorating (i.e. solid Nawlins drumming throughout and the strange "Purple Rain" piano and vocal stylings of "Brand New"), and kudos for such a cool band moniker, but the album suffers from some predictably befuddling hippy-dippy lyrics. David Thornton

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