One of the nice things about the end of the year is the ability to catch up on some music that I missed. The National Reserve put out an album back in May, and it sure is a scorcher.

The National Reserve Motel La Grange (Ramseur)

The rough-and-ready americana sound is a staple of east coast clubs, as befits this Brooklyn group. The National Reserve adds some blues muscle and psychedelic wash to the mix, which makes this one of the louder americana albums of the year.

Oh, the usual rootsy harmonies, slide guitar and such are all present, but for me the strength is the volume. Some reviewers have faulted the raucous nature of this set as limiting. Or maybe simply they see these guys more as bar band than artists. I dunno. Again, one of the fun things about getting to an album late is reading other takes. I like the noise. These guys can shift from lovely harmonizing to down-and-dirty Nighthawks-style blooze. I kinda like that.

Imperfect, and intentionally so. This is a solid ramble through crusty barroom floors. If you want art with a capital "A", well, you'll have to go somewhere else. The rest of us are drinking here.

Jon Worley