[rating=8.00]
Trailer Life is a catchy, happy release by the Drunk Stuntmen, an independent roots-rock band fronted by Steven M. Sanderson, and made up of eight or nine other seasoned musicians. What comes across when spinning this disc are the stories, experiences, and work that went into crafting these tunes. As one review mentioned, these are songs for the working-class, songs that soothe the soul and provide some rowdy, beer-drinking fun. If that’s what you need after a tough week at work, then go ahead and, with one swipe of your arm, knock the wine and Brie cheese off onto the floor, crack open some cold ones, deal the cards, and enjoy. Think Lynyrd Skynyrd meets My Morning Jacket meets the Stones.
By track four, you realize that this is more country than rock – the first few songs could be played on any indie-rock station. And that is OK if you like that twangy, boot-scootin’ sassy style. The horns and backing vocals, especially in songs like “Bolinas,” (with a Rolling Stones rip-off riff) “Mystery,” and others, add a resistible, toe-tapping element to their pop sound. “Made of Wood” is classic country, with soulful, storytelling lyrics and vocals. The steel guitar cries along and the guitar strumming congers up images of cornfields, pick-up trucks kicking up dust driving down country roads, and long-haired, good ’ol boys, and girls, playing their gee-tars and fiddles on the wrap-around porch.
The title track gets back to its rockin-roots and is also hard to resist, even with its hokey “C’mon on dance” sing-a-long chorus. Lots of Americans will able to relate to this rocking, stomping good time, while others will want to find some emo-rock to crank. Despite its country and Americana, roots, there is a song or two on Trailer Life for just about any music listener.
