Jenny Don't and the Spurs - Fire on the Ridge

This one is the latest from the Spurs with Jenny and bassist/cohort Kelly joined by guitarist Christopher (he played with them when we saw them and is excellent at 6-string and pedal steel) along with their late drummer, Sam (more info on Sam at their website here). Here they continue with their trad-yet-original country/western sounds with Jenny's melodic vocals hovering over some fine playing.

Opening with the upbeat-yet-moody title track, we get a bouncy rhythm track layered with intertwining 6-string and steel guitars (riffs ranging from sweet country to Johnny Cash to "Ghost Rider in the Sky") and Jenny describing the scene. They slow down a little for the 50's-sounding slow dance of "California Cowboy", then we get a hot-boppin', Blasters-ish rockabilly number in "Be the Only One" (nice guitar riffin' here),  followed by a Patsy Cline-y melodic country/rockabilly tune in "Restless Moon" with Christopher showing off his skills on both guitars as he does to great effect on the upbeat country of "Foolish Lies" in which Jenny practically yodels in an old-country kinda way (this melody is taken from an unusual source but I'll be damned if I can place it right now).

"Train Ticket" is a frantic, almost punk-speed rockabilly ala Blood on the Saddle where Christopher continues to impress, sounding almost like Junior Brown at times, but then they slow down for the weepy "Friday Night' that has hints of the Delmore Brothers' "Blues Stay Away From Me" but with their own bits, of course, before moving on to the fast-paced rockabilly in "She's Not the One" - dig the changes from poppy verses to moody choruses. "Johnny Vagabond" is a melancholy, minor-key walk through early Americana with a steady, brooding rockabilly backing, then back to the speedy "Trouble on My Mind" before topping things off with the mid-tempo country of "Queen of the Desert", a strong piece of writing'n'playing - everyone's in top form here.

Really diggin' this combo and glad that we were able to gig with them again. Hopefully, they'll do another trek down from Portland to Vegas again before too long!