American Primitive

by Old 97's

Overview

Loose and contemplative are not adjectives that usually travel together, but the Old 97's have always been a band who do things their own way, and those words sum up a lot of what's great about the group's 14th studio album, 2024's American Primitive. The band skipped their usually extensive pre-production before they began work on this album, and the result is a set of songs that are smart, energetic, and tuneful but played in a manner that makes clear that they didn't rehearse to death first. Thirty years on from their debut LP, the Old 97's intuitively know how to work together, and if there's a sight hint of rough edges and flaws in these tracks, it works in their favor -- the performances have a lot of life in them, and guitarist Ken Bethea, bassist Murry Hammond, and drummer Philip Peeples lock in together with assurance and a sense of adventure that more than suits these tunes. Meanwhile, lead singer and principal lyricist Rhett Miller indulged his introspective streak on 2017's Graveyard Whistling and 2020's Twelfth, and he ups the ante on American Primitive. Here, he takes a deeper look into relationships (his favorite theme), the onset of adulthood, and the uncertain state of the world. The first song kicks off with the line, "You've got to dance like the world is falling down around/Because it is," and it's as good a metaphor for personal, social, and political chaos as you can ask for. Miller is happy to rock alongside his bandmates, yet he still finds himself puzzled by his interactions with the world around him, and the push and pull enlivens his vocal performances and matches the ragged and right swagger of the band. (Miller does contribute a sweetly goofy and thoroughly charming love song, "Honeypie," which concerns his wife's least favorite term of endearment.) Tucker Martine's production is admirably hands-off, capturing the sound of a band rocking out in a good-sounding room without too much trickery, and he brought in a pair of high-quality ringers, Peter Buck of R.E.M. and Scott McCaughey of the Young Fresh Fellows and the Minus 5, to add some fine, unobtrusive musical accents to the mix. Most bands don't sound as fresh, confident, and willing to take chances three decades into their career as the Old 97's do on American Primitive; they've quietly but firmly matured into one of America's best roots rock acts. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	04/05/2024
Label:	Ato Records
UPC:	0880882614522
Rank:	974

Tracks

1. Falling Down
2. Somebody
3. American Primitive
4. Where the Road Goes
5. Honeypie
6. By the End of the Night
7. Masterpiece
8. Incantation
9. Magic
10. Western Stars
11. Chased the Setting Sun
12. This World
13. Estuviera Cayendo

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Old 97's   Primary Artist,Vocals,Various Instruments
Peter Buck   Guitar,Mandolin
Scott McCaughey   Piano
Annie Crawford   Piano
Jeff Trapp   Guitar,Flamenco Guitar
Richard Hewett   Drums

Technical Credits

Tucker Martine   Mixing,Recording,Engineer,Producer
Salim Nourallah   Composer
Philip Peeples   Composer,Group Member
Rhett Miller   Composer,Group Member
Old 97's   Composer
Sam Hollander   Composer
Murry Hammond   Composer,Group Member
Jason Quigley   Photography
Doug Van Sloun   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Ryan Bridenstine   Assistant Engineer
Tex Hammond   Cover Painting
Ken Bethea   Composer,Group Member
Sam Cohen   Composer