Sleepercar: West Texas

BY PAULA GONZALEZ

Sleepercar
West Texas
Doghouse

Texas. You don’t mess with it. Don’t mess with Texas. There is no way I want to mess with Texas after seeing the movie No Country for Old Men. I wouldn’t want someone to make me call a coin toss. Now that was a hardcore, American-made cowboy shootout movie. So when you come across a band that doesn’t fall into the immediate labeling of Brit-pop/rock and play instead in the field of Johnny Cash, acoustic Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Band of Horses, The Cobbs and Ryan Adams, you got yourself a “Made in the U.S.A.” band. Sleepercar isn’t a new band, nor a local band. West Texas is a debut album, and it’s Jim Ward’s project. Recognize the name? He’s the lead singer and guitarist for the band Sparta.

This album is comprised of material that Ward has been working on for quite sometime, over six years in fact. Between tours and recording with friends and family, West Texas is a collage of a love in all of its stages, and it gets pretty personal.

The first song is my favorite, “Broken Promise,” which immediately sets off the style and influence of Americana/country music. And with the lyric, “I can’t take this any longer, I will die or become stronger,” you can only think that there is an open, broken heart in this album.

The next song, “Wasting My Time,” made me think, “Jesus! Jim, who was the girl who dared to waste your time?” Third song “Fences Down” starts with a Ryan Adams-style country guitar. “Fences Down” is the protagonist of West Texas since it was the first song written and began Jim’s journey in making this album. “Wednesday” is next, and let me say this, not too many men say “darling,” so when Jim sings, “Darling, it’s all right,” it’s an instant reaction that love isn’t just a hello-goodbye stage.

“Kings & Compromises” and “Heavy Weights” pick up the speed, deepen the guitar sound and make profound use of the acoustics. Both have the country rhythm, but it’s not the kind you would run away from nor will it make you tell your blind date, “I listen to all kinds of music, except country.” I enjoyed track “Sound the Alarm” because it picks up the beat via a ’70s rock sound with the glitter ball spinning.

“You Should Run” is a learn-about-life song, as Jim sings, “How come you are trying to fight all that you left behind?” This album isn’t meant for little kids. It’s more mature; it’s has more experience; and it has life lessons learned. The last song is another favorite, “Stumble In,” which could basically be the soundtrack of you walking into a bar after a long day of hard work, and I’m not talking about sitting in front of a computer.

West Texas has been in my car for the past couple of days and has become the background music during a long drive. I have to credit this album for making the trip a lot more pleasant. I’ve always been hesitant to listen to material with country and rock mixed, but I credit BRMC’s Howl album for breaking such barriers and allowing me to enjoy West Texas, so I can now tell my blind date, “I like all kinds of music, including country.”

Sleepercar will be opening for Gran Ronde tonight at Spaceland. Also playing are Aushua and The Republic Tigers.

Comments

[mychelle]

Um, hello, if this has been in your car, why hasn't it also been shared with ME??????????? Anything that is compared with the masterpiece known as Howl must be given to me immediately. As in FED EX.

[paulag]

sorry dude, im sooo sorry, forgive me, forgive me, im soooo sorrryyyy..

[mychelle]

don't be sorry. fix it!