Stadium Blitzer
Stadium Blitzeris a shambling, loose, slack-jawed mess. And, my, what a beautiful one.  "I like drinking," the boys stammer on the song of the same name, and it's not hard to believe that much of this album was written under the influence on some hot-summer, mosquito-infected porch, an alcohol infused acoustic hootenany.  Rambling guitars, wandering accordians, meandering mandolins--and don't forget the handclaps, grinder wheels, sizzles, chest thumps and "accidental noises"--mesh with Claude Bernard's boozy vocals and suggest a mix that lies somewhere between bluesy Americana and New Orleans' stomp. While the Gourds sound achingly tender and lost on slow cuts such as "Raining in Port Arthur," it's when they rev up and let loose on such barn burners as "Magnolia" and "LGO" that the real magic starts. An amazing record, sure to stay in heavy rotation throughout the hot months.--Tod Nelson