(Dualtone) BR549 came bursting into Nashville's music consciousness in '96 after building up a diehard following on Lower Broadway playing Robert's Western Wear with their raucous shows that drew from the days-gone-by sound of traditional-oldtime hillbilly-country music, complete with a vintage look. They were soon signed to a recording contract with Arista. Although critically acclaimed and having built a solid following, their oldtime sound didn't sit well with radio programmers and commercial success eluded them. Mainstream Nashville wrote them off as a 'novelty act.' After releasing four albums on Arista, the band moved to the Lucky Dog label. Here the band was given a 'makeover'- gone was the hyphen in their name, the vintage clothing and their sound was given a more polished sound. The resulting album, This Is BR549 was lackluster compared to their previous efforts and commercial success still eluded them. BR549 was dropped from the label and co-founder/co-lead vocalist Gary Bennett and longtime bassist Jay McDowell quit the band. Unsure of where that left the rest of the band, they headed back to Lower Broadway for some re-assessing. While there, they began playing with the Hillbilly All-Stars, a loosely knit group of some of Nashville's finest musicans. The remaining members of BR549 realized they were back where they started and were having fun again. Through these jam sessions they met bassist Geoff Firebaugh and vocalist/guitarist Chris Scruggs (who holds a third generation classic country pedigree as grandson of country performers Earl Scruggs and Tex Dickerson and son of Gail Davies and Gary Scruggs).

When Chuck Mead, Don Herron and Shaw Wilson decided to continue on with BR549, they invited Geoff & Chris to join the band. To see if the new lineup would fly, they toured Europe and America to break in their new members. The tours were very well received and they released an EP in early 2003 titled Temporarily Disconnected (available through their website) that contained two covers and two originals. The revitalized band decided to return to the studio to cut a full disc- even though they had no record deal. The band financed the project themselves and recorded it with no outside interference.

Tangled In The Pines was produced by the band along with their longtime soundman 'Cowboy' Keith Thompson. The album contains no covers, all the songs are originals written or co-written by Chuck Mead and Chris Scruggs, along with co-writing contributions by Don Herron and Shaw Wilson. The result is an album that finds a newly rejuvenated and reinvented BR549 pulling out all the stops and taking on the music with a fire-in-their-belly vengeance.

The disc kicks off with a winning Chuck Mead/Raul Malo Tex-Mex flavored honky tonker "That's What I Get." The band incorporates a well placed tempo change during the chorus that adds nicely to the loping honky tonker "I'm Alright (For The Shape I'm In)," and toss in some terrific Hank Williams style yodelling in the standout, "When I Come Home." They offer up a couple of strong traditional shuffles with the heartbreaker ""She's Talking To Someone (She's Not Talking To Me)" and the dangers of the bottle in "Honky Tonkin' Lifestyle." The mid-tempo bass slapping title track, "Tangled In The Pines," seems to be a bit autobiographical, telling the tale of the band's trials and tribulations.

The balance of the songs provide a look at a 'new' side to BR549. "Run A Mile," with it's pounding dirge-like beat, is a dark, swampy song that has a spiritual feel to it as it tells the tale of an illicit relationship. "Movin' The Country" has driving 'outlaw' undertones in this swipe at Nashville with it's 'broken promises' and 'cramping styles.' The boys kick things up and blast their way through the rocking honky tonker "Ain't Got Time," the Sun-style standout rockabilly tune "No Train To Memphis" and "No Friend Of Mine," a rockabilly rave-up that includes everything from George Jones to Buddy Holly to surf-riffs that wouldn't sound out of place on a Blasters disc. They close out Tangled In The Pines in a blaze of glory with the rockabilly swinger "Way Too Late (To Come Home Early Tonight)." 

When Gary and Jay departed the band, many BR549 fans wondered if it meant the end of the band. Tangled In The Pines proves that it turned out to be a new beginning. Chris Scruggs certainly shows he lives up to his storied country music pedigree as he's a strong songwriter, vocalist and talented musician, and Geoff Firebaugh is a fiery, accomplished bassist. Chuck has picked up the songwriting slack with Gary's departure and has done an outstanding job. The addition of the new blood has added a welcome fire, grit and new dimension to the band. Tangled In The Pines is BR549's strongest release since Live At Robert's and perhaps their strongest to date. “This record is not ashamed to be country,” offers Chris Scruggs. “And at the same time, it’s not afraid to be something new. BR549 was always about making sincere country music with no strings attached. And we still are.”       

Standout Tracks:  "I'm Alright (For The Shape I'm In)," "Ain't Got Time," "She's Talking To Someone," "Tangled In The Pines," "No Train To Memphis," "Run A Mile," "When I Come Home," "Way Too Late"

On The Net:  www.br5-49.com

AnnMarie Harrington TakeCountryBack April 2004