Record Label:
Self-released
Though they’re one of the youngest bands knocking around the roots-music scene in Texas (and beyond), there’s a sense of maturity and restraint on the debut album by a band briefly known as Beck & Cauthen before legal action by some other musician named Beck forced a change of direction. Sounding a bit like The Band in their more rustic moments and a countrified Dire Straits in their slicker ones, a subtle vibe prevails but never bores. David Beck (the one with the higher, vaguely Sting-like voice) and Paul Cauthen (mid-range and relatively gruff), along with producer Lloyd Maines and players the caliber of Corby Schaub and Catie Offerman, find a win- win approach by refusing to upstage each other; every sweet vocal turn, tasty steel guitar lick, tumbling piano riff, etc., gets a little room to breathe and to register with the listener. And while the lyrics lean towards the non sequitur, usually falling together in a loose narrative at best, they tend to hit a poetic groove of their own in the hands of two gifted, likable vocalists. Standout tracks include the lazily grooving “Weather Balloons,” the taut ’80s-tinged “Out Of Line,” and the soul throwback “Ruthless.” Beck and Cauthen (I mean, Sons of Fathers ... don’t sue!) do more than one thing well, and even at this early stage they tie it together nicely.
