Search - Reckless Kelly :: Under the Table & Above the Sun

Fresh modern country rock

L. B. Ivarsson | Rock City | 08/29/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you're a fan of Steve Earle you shouldn't overlook this album. Reckless Kelly have adopted the Earle style and the singer even sounds very much like the old country rebel. In the booklet, Robert Earl Keen writes an introduction in which he really praise Reckless Kelly and I'm bound to agree. The album starts with two very catchy and melodic alternative country tunes with a fair amount of rock. The rest of the material is a mixture of faster and slower songs with hooks and melody in common. The country music style is always present but it doesn't sound as slick as modern acts like Shania Twain or as old as the Nashville tradition. I believe Reckless Kelly is the perfect bridge between the old and the new sound. If you like Steve Earle, Joe Ely, Robert Earl Keen among others, I can almost guarantee that you'll also find this album enjoyable. Dedicated fans of Jayhawks, Scott Miller, Whiskeytown and Ryan Adams might also like this attractive effort from Reckless Kelly."

Hick rock fans - come on home!

L. B. Ivarsson | 05/14/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Oh! This is the RK I initially fell for. The sound is "Millican" all grown up - intimate, musically complex without being overblown. An extraordinary palette of sound, it will likely surpass "Millican" as my favorite. The band is tight and quite comfortable with each other. David Abeyta has melded his unique style of playing to RK's so completely, that while it's easy to pick him out, it's just as easy not to. The keyboards are a wonderfully subtle addition, and just as welcome as the variety of other instruments new to RK. Willy's song writing is intimate, especially "Desolation Angels," and first rate, and it is apparent the band had an abundance of material to choose from. The songs are diverse, with a little something for everyone. As usual, the Braun brothers' harmonies are superbly lofty (see "Desolation Angels" again). And ain't nobody got nothing on Cody Braun as a fiddle player. This is an album made by some serious musicians - it will remind you why you started listening to Reckless Kelly."

They just keep getting better

L. B. Ivarsson | 07/12/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I began listening to Reckless Kelly in 1998. I thought their first album "Millican" was excellent and had trouble taking it out of my CD player. Aside from the Mermaid Avenue discs, I thought it was one of the better alt-country CDs of the late 1990s. After numerous times listening to their sophomore effort "The Day" I begrudgingly admitted to myself that I enjoyed it even more. "Under the Table" raised the bar even more. Although they have always seemed talented beyond their years, the level of musicianship and songwriting took a noticable leap with this disc. They seem to have matured (no signs of anything like Crazy Eddie's Last Hurrah and Time Bomb, great songs though they are) and yet they still seem to not be taking themselves too seriously. They are the true embodiment of alt-country, good twangy guitars and fiddles with undercurrents of roots, blues and rock. If you liked Uncle Tupelo or any of the various offshoots or have an appreciation of true country/roots rock you will really enjoy this album. And if you get a chance to see them live, do not pass it up under any circumstances. Aside from an excess of cover songs in the last half of the set it is one of the better live shows out there."