In a way you could say that AmericanaRoots.com was built with Two Tons of Steel. This band was a major influence in the formation of our site. Now the San Antonio outfit has released their latest studio disc Not That Lucky. This great new disc clearly showcases the immense talents of this band. Kevin Geil delivers some solid tunes, penning most of the tunes on the disc. He is backed by bandmates Dennis Fallon, guitar; Chris Dodds, drums; Chris Rhoades, electric and upright bass and Denny Mathis on steel. Lloyd Maines produced the disc and adds guitar on 4 of the tunes. Tom Gillam contributes one of the standout tunes Bottom of the Bottle and adds some vocals on the track.
The opener is Cryin Eyes. While there is a lot of Americana music that really doesn’t call for it, I think there are bass players who should play upright bass but don’t want the hassle of dragging it around to gigs. Chris Rhoades clearly shows on this cut why the extra trouble is worth it. His twangy (upright) bass lines really drive this tune and give it a true honky-tonk feeling that would be totally lost with electric bass. I’ve seen these guys live and the upright really adds to the sound and visuals of their live show as well.
The next tune Long Road to Heaven is my top Americana cut of the year so far. Kevin Geil tells the story of a woman escaping a bad situation:
Empty bottles on the bedroom floor show her fragile state of mind
When you pass the point of no return you’ve got to leave it all behind
She left with the wind in her hair and the Stones on the radio
Hit the gas and with a rebel yell
Its a long road to heaven on the highway to hell
The title tune Not That Lucky is an aging musicians lament of how it “used to be”. Fortunately for Two Tons some things haven’t changed. Its good to see that this longtime Americana band is still at the top of their game, delivering perhaps the finest studio disc of their careers. While they may be Not That Lucky, their fans sure are with this one!
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