An old new album.

For the past year, one of my favorite bands has been Limbeck.

Limbeck are known for their light, alt-country rock full of toe-tapping drumbeats and twangy guitars. They are the kind of band you listen to while you are having a cold beer on the front porch with your friends.

I have been listening to their 2003 album “Hi, Everything’s Great” and their 2005 release “Let Me Come Home” religiously. Until this past week, I thought these were the only records Limbeck had written. I was unaware that another, more recent album even existed.

Well I am unaware no longer, thankfully.

Limbeck’s 2007 self-titled album, released on Doghouse Records, finds the band settling into a very relaxed, happy and safe place. The bands previous releases have followed a more traditional alt-country, Americana sound, which were full of road ready tunes with grit and harmony throughout. That method has been tweaked and their new album flexes its musical muscle by adding some ukulele, organ, chimes, horns and string arrangements to this new round of songs.

This process has given Limbeck a new dynamic, which on several tracks thrusts them into an arena with the likes of the pop masters Beach Boys and Tom Petty. On other tracks, the band can stand head to toe with the likes of Wilco.

This infusion of pop with alt-country works well for Limbeck, and it appears the band is enjoying musical freedom while they hang out and play upbeat music, regardless of the genre.

Tender vocal harmonies and an innocent charm drive the songs. The album is a relaxed affair that's missing the whiskey-soaked grit most country-flavored indie bands have adopted. But what is lacking in drunken misery, Limbeck makes up for in lighthearted songs perfect for those moments when life isn't just a mess.

The restless energy of cuts like "Keepin' Busy" and "Wake Up" break up the largely mellow album nicely, though it's really songs like the early morning narrative of "Sunset Limited" that shine.

The standout track, in my opinion, is "Big Drag." Great energy, catchy chorus and the style of Limbeck rolled into a hit single.



This album is for road trips with friends (preferably driving through some arid desert with miles and miles between each broken down rest stop), walking down the street on a summer day with the sun beating down on your face, or those moments when the most immediate concern is that "the wind keeps blowing the dust in my face and rearranging my hairdo."

These accounts are little snapshots of life as a touring band on the road. And although these adventures may be filled with uncertainty, broken hearts and car troubles, they are ultimately about the friends who share your journeys and the people you meet along the way that make it all worthwhile. Limbeck does a masterful job of bringing these experiences to life on this record.

At one point, lead vocalist Robb MacLean sings, "I just want to be content no matter where I am." Well as long as this album is playing, I’m halfway there.