I SEE HAWKS IN LA
''MYSTERY DRUG''
2013
48:55
1.Oklahoma's Going Dry/4:38
2.Mystery Drug/2:42
3.Yesterday's Coffee/3:53
4.The Beauty Of The Better States/3:41
5.We Could All Be In Laughlin Tonight/4:08
6.One Drop Of Human Blood/4:22
7.Sky Island/5:01
8.If You Remind Me/4:03
9.Rock N Roll Cymbal From The Seventies/3:29
10.Tongues Of The Flame/2:14
11.Stop Driving Like An Asshole/1:33
12.My Local Merchants/1:35
13.The River Knows/7:43
REVIEW
by Glenn Swan
I See Hawks in L.A. takes a slightly more cerebral approach to country music. This is not to say the genre is overrun with cavemen, but clipped onto the well-worn bootheels of this outfit is a spur of skewed wit, intelligence, and contemplation. The music itself is the very picture of congeniality -- accomplished players strum languidly with reverence and grace, conjuring deep-seeded tradition rather than new country (aka, rock music from people in cowboy hats). There's a grass-roots essence running through the album, but the band sidesteps tradition in the lyrics with tracks like "Nicotine & Vitamin C," the lovely sunset lullaby of "The Beautiful Narcotic Place I Reside," and the saddle-shop quartet of "A Dog Can Break Your Heart Too." Furthermore, "The Mystery of Life" and "Duty to Our Pod" seem downright existentialist in their approach. The modest bari-twang vocals of Robert Rex Waller Jr. and the other contributing voices are all appropriately unpolished, and everything goes down as smooth as molasses. This self-titled debut album has too much grit and professionalism to be a novelty act, but I See Hawks in L.A. is, in fact, such a smart band that they practically alienate themselves from the genre they fit so well. Also, the fact that they received an award for Best Country Band in the city of Los Angeles only furthers the notion that the quintet is a little left of center. With a nod and a dry smirk, these boys are the best-kept secret in philosophical tongue-in-cheek Southern hospitality that California has to offer. Only you can decide how vital that is, but rest assured these boys can play.
BIOGRAPHY
by Steve Leggett
California-based I See Hawks in L.A. pursue a kind of cerebral, witty, and at times refreshingly silly alt-country path along the lines of earlier California country-rock bands like the Flying Burrito Brothers, Poco, and the Byrds, following the template of what Gram Parsons once called "cosmic American music." Formed in 1999 by Robert Rex Waller, Jr. and brothers Paul Lacques and Anthony Lacques, at first I See Hawks in L.A. were strictly a loose recording outfit, but after their self-titled debut album was released on the now defunct Ethic Records imprint in 2001, the positive critical reaction convinced them to start doing shows. A second album, Grapevine, appeared in 2004 from Western Seeds Records, followed by California Country, also on Western Seeds, in 2006, and both releases received well-deserved praise for the band's clever, fun, and often politically and environmentally charged songs (most of them written by Waller and Paul Lacques) and impressive three-part harmonies (sung by Waller, Lacques, and bassist Paul Marshall). The band's lineup has been an ever evolving thing, but has generally included Rob Waller on lead vocals, guitar, and Dobro, Paul Lacques on vocals, guitar, and Dobro, Paul Marshall on bass and vocals, Dave Zirbel on steel guitar, Cody Bryant on banjo, Rick Shea on mandolin, Brantley Kearns on fiddle, and Shawn Nourse on drums, with numerous names from California's alt-country scene contributing frequent guest spots. A fourth album, Hallowed Ground, was released early in 2008.
DoWnLoAd
''MYSTERY DRUG''
2013
48:55
1.Oklahoma's Going Dry/4:38
2.Mystery Drug/2:42
3.Yesterday's Coffee/3:53
4.The Beauty Of The Better States/3:41
5.We Could All Be In Laughlin Tonight/4:08
6.One Drop Of Human Blood/4:22
7.Sky Island/5:01
8.If You Remind Me/4:03
9.Rock N Roll Cymbal From The Seventies/3:29
10.Tongues Of The Flame/2:14
11.Stop Driving Like An Asshole/1:33
12.My Local Merchants/1:35
13.The River Knows/7:43
REVIEW
by Glenn Swan
I See Hawks in L.A. takes a slightly more cerebral approach to country music. This is not to say the genre is overrun with cavemen, but clipped onto the well-worn bootheels of this outfit is a spur of skewed wit, intelligence, and contemplation. The music itself is the very picture of congeniality -- accomplished players strum languidly with reverence and grace, conjuring deep-seeded tradition rather than new country (aka, rock music from people in cowboy hats). There's a grass-roots essence running through the album, but the band sidesteps tradition in the lyrics with tracks like "Nicotine & Vitamin C," the lovely sunset lullaby of "The Beautiful Narcotic Place I Reside," and the saddle-shop quartet of "A Dog Can Break Your Heart Too." Furthermore, "The Mystery of Life" and "Duty to Our Pod" seem downright existentialist in their approach. The modest bari-twang vocals of Robert Rex Waller Jr. and the other contributing voices are all appropriately unpolished, and everything goes down as smooth as molasses. This self-titled debut album has too much grit and professionalism to be a novelty act, but I See Hawks in L.A. is, in fact, such a smart band that they practically alienate themselves from the genre they fit so well. Also, the fact that they received an award for Best Country Band in the city of Los Angeles only furthers the notion that the quintet is a little left of center. With a nod and a dry smirk, these boys are the best-kept secret in philosophical tongue-in-cheek Southern hospitality that California has to offer. Only you can decide how vital that is, but rest assured these boys can play.
BIOGRAPHY
by Steve Leggett
California-based I See Hawks in L.A. pursue a kind of cerebral, witty, and at times refreshingly silly alt-country path along the lines of earlier California country-rock bands like the Flying Burrito Brothers, Poco, and the Byrds, following the template of what Gram Parsons once called "cosmic American music." Formed in 1999 by Robert Rex Waller, Jr. and brothers Paul Lacques and Anthony Lacques, at first I See Hawks in L.A. were strictly a loose recording outfit, but after their self-titled debut album was released on the now defunct Ethic Records imprint in 2001, the positive critical reaction convinced them to start doing shows. A second album, Grapevine, appeared in 2004 from Western Seeds Records, followed by California Country, also on Western Seeds, in 2006, and both releases received well-deserved praise for the band's clever, fun, and often politically and environmentally charged songs (most of them written by Waller and Paul Lacques) and impressive three-part harmonies (sung by Waller, Lacques, and bassist Paul Marshall). The band's lineup has been an ever evolving thing, but has generally included Rob Waller on lead vocals, guitar, and Dobro, Paul Lacques on vocals, guitar, and Dobro, Paul Marshall on bass and vocals, Dave Zirbel on steel guitar, Cody Bryant on banjo, Rick Shea on mandolin, Brantley Kearns on fiddle, and Shawn Nourse on drums, with numerous names from California's alt-country scene contributing frequent guest spots. A fourth album, Hallowed Ground, was released early in 2008.
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