Old 97's

Old 97's

Live (New West)

It may not be the most imaginative title, but then the Old 97's have always been a no-frills act, and like most of what they do, Live is direct and to the point. Better still, Live makes it explicit that when the Old 97's are on, the Dallas quartet is one of the most electrifying groups Texas has ever produced. Recorded early in 2004 before a packed house at the legendary Troubadour in Los Angeles, Live captures a typical set from the 97's, one that spans their entire 11-year career, although heavy on tunes from their then soon-to-be-released disc Drag It Up. Fans get an in-your-face peek at the manic scratchings of guitarist Ken Bethea, bassist Murry Hammond in full "cute-as-a-Beatle" mode, and the steady, solid pounding of drummer Philip Peeples. The real star, of course, is Rhett Miller, and while one might weary a bit of all the full-face close-ups of the singer, Miller remains a riveting frontman and fans will never tire of his head whip, which has now become an Old 97's trademark. Toward the end of the better-than-75-minute set, the band really cuts loose on older material like "Doreen" and "Big Brown Eyes," and thus reveals the real reason for liking this band: inspired songcraft. They may have played these songs hundreds of times before, but there's real sweat, smiles, and a startling intensity that leaves the audience roaring. The only extra here is a brief behind-the-scenes documentary on the band that offers a couple of new insights yet will only be of interest to the hardcores. Live aptly demonstrates why such folks exist.