This indie rock act has been kicking around town for a couple of years now but this represents its full-length debut. The album kicks off with the twangy "Prelude/My Dear," a tune that's not bluegrass-y enough to be compared to the current revival that's spearheaded by Mumford and Sons/The Avett Brothers. The song concludes with a stellar guitar solo that sounds straight out of an Allman Brothers' tune. Not that these guys are a jam band by any stretch of the imagination (though "Gone" does lean a bit in that direction). The anthem "We Drive" features a bit of slide guitar that goes well with the coarse vocals, and the beautiful ballad "Run" has a cool, cinematic quality to it. The point of comparison here is Uncle Tupelo, the seminal alt-country band that eventually yielded Son Volt and Wilco. Here's to hoping the Oldboy guys don't end up splitting their musical differences like Tupelo did. — Jeff Niesel
Oldboy performs with White Buffalo and Nomads at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13 at the Grog Shop.
