Two Dollar Pistols

It is now over 10 years since Chapel Hill band Two Dollar Pistols started playing their brand of energetic honky-tonk music, highlighted by the baritone of singer and guitarist John Howie, Jr. They tend to lean more toward the country side of the alt-country fence. Of the band Howie has said he hopes people think of them as “a country band that likes R & B, that likes rock ‘n’ roll, that likes rockabilly, that likes The Beatles, but not a rock ‘n’ roll band that likes country music.”

The band has a nice sound musically, with Howie backed up by Scott McCall on guitar, keys and banjo, Mark O’Brien on bass and Matt Brown on drums. If you like Junior Brown or other earthy baritone voices then John Howie’s voice will certainly appeal to you. He is a slender guy - it’s hard for me to imagine this deep voice coming from that guy! Most of the tunes are in the mid-tempo range. The songs cover some of the usual topics. Lost relationships - covered on the opener “When It Was Over,” which opens, “I didn’t know you’d hang out with all those men/The ones who used to be my friends, when it was over.” This song is followed by a catchy somewhat slower tune “Strange Things Have Happened” Deceit is covered on “She Lies All the Time.” Jealousy? Yes, that is covered on one of the catchier tunes “I Don’t Know You (But I Don’t Like You)” when he sings “I don’t know you, but I don’t like you, because she likes you more than I knew.”

While certainly the CD is not full of the most upbeat songs lyrically, the music is more upbeat and fun to listen to. Don’t try to sing like John Howie however, you may get a hernia!