The Weary Boys

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(self release)True, Texas country music, particulary that which comes out of Austin, offers as many diverse sounds in country music as you can find anywhere. The Weary Boys came out of nowhere on the Austin scene a little more than a year ago, and their music sounds more straight out of the hills of Kentucky than the honky tonks of Texas.

 

Three lifelong friends from Humbolt County, California, right on the Oregon border, Mario Matteoli, Brian Salvi and Darren Hoff headed to Austin on a whim. They began playing their music on the streets where they met Austin musicians Darren Sluyter and Cade C. Callahan who immediately became the rest of the members that make up the Weary Boys.

The three friends from California grew up with bluegrass music as a part of their life, and embraced it. They listened to old Hank Williams albums and decided this era of music was nothing short of perfect, and the way they wanted to make it.

 

The result? Pure hillbilly heaven!!  The Weary Boys are Mario Matteoli (lead vocals and electric guitar- the band's sole electric instument), Darren Hoff (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Brain Salvi (fiddle), Darren Sluyter (stand up bass) and Cade C. Callahan (snare drum and brushes). This, their debut CD, was recorded live in the studio, with absolutely no overdubs.

The music? Think circa 1947 (minus the retro-smugness of some of today's other bands that play similar music). Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley, mixed with the high lonesome sounds of Hank Williams and Jimmie Rodgers. A little bluegrass mixed with the sounds of lonesome drifters and trains.

 

The Weary Boys is a mix of both covers and originals that the Boys rip through, full throttle with a fevered passion, and use tight 2, 3 and 4 part harmonies. Covers include Jimmy Reed's "Runnin' Hidin' ", Hank William's "Ramblin' Man" (kicked up several notches to keep pace with the rest of these fast moving tunes), and a stunning high lonesome version of Bill Monroe's haunting "Dark As The Night". Several other covers, "Freight Train Blues", "Bound To Ride", "Rock Of Ages" and another stellar standout, "Walkin' Boss", are credited as being "traditional", and were picked up from listening to old Ralph Stanley, and even Bob Dylan, albums. "Clinch Mountain Backstop" is a roaring instrumental that really highlights the Boys' instrumental chops- some excellent picking, and considering Brian never picked up a fiddle till he hit Austin, you'd swear he's been playing his whole life.

The 4 original tunes fit into the CD flawlessly, and you unless you looked, you couldn't tell which songs are covers and which are originals, proof these boys are in perfect tune with the music they're doing. A review from one of their live shows stated "these boys know the difference between country rock, and country that rocks."

 

Not fully bluegrass, and not fully honky tonk, and with a little gospel tossed in, The Weary Boys play a hybrid that could be called "honkabilly". What ever you call it, it's real and it's country.

The only complaint? With a dozen gems, where the longest songs run about 3 minutes, this CD clocks in at 30 minutes- way too short for a treasure like this!!  

 

Though this CD was originally only offered through www.lonestarmusic.com , it's gained much critical and popular acclaim since, and can now be found on many sites.

 

For more information about The Weary Boys, check out their website at www.wearyboys.com

AnnMarie Harrington Take Country Back April 2002