Dec 14 2008
The Summer Wardrobe – Cajun Prairie Fire
The Summer Wardrobe
Cajun Prairie Fire
Sauspop; 2008
These days, the concept of “Southern Rock” is quite dubious and the struggle to locate a decent product can be rather tough. While some are on perpetual lookout for the next Lynyrd Skynyrd, others are desirous to find a group like The Byrds, and still others pine away for the next Johnny Cash and/or Elvis. On one hand, it’s a fruitless search, because anyone who attempts to crib from those iconic acts will only come across as a rank amateur at best and an outright thief at worst. On the other, the quest is a noble one, as the genre abounds with all manner of excellent music that needs to be perpetuated into present and future generations.
Thus, as this reviewer feels that the hunt for quality Southern Rock in the 21st century is a righteous one, more bands need to follow the example set by The Summer Wardrobe on their new album, Cajun Prairie Fire. This Austin, TX-based quartet manages to meld together a wide swath of influences, ranging from country, rock, and ‘70s folk-pop all the way to quirky psychedelia, creating a sound that is both retro-fitted for honky-tonks and forward-looking with its vision. Lyrically, the record calls to mind the trippy, Southwestern, not-quite-apocalyptic imagery of Cormac McCarthy, but the music on the album is much warmer and fuller than the creepy, futuristic subject matter might denote. With key tracks like “Highs in the Mid ‘90s,” “Baby, Let’s Switch Graves,” and “When You Died” giving off a Spiritualized-meets-country-pop feel that should appeal to fans of Centro-matic, the rushing waves of guitars on Cajun Prairie Fire from The Summer Wardrobe provides the listener with a much-needed touchstone on the road to bring worthwhile Southern Rock to this generation.