Teddy Morgan & the Pistolas

Lost Love and Highways (HighTone)

Teddy Morgan’s previous outfit, the Sevilles, trafficked in solid, if unspectacular, blues-rock one or two degrees removed from the blandness of a Sixth Street happy hour. Now Fronting the Pistolas, his Lost Love and Highways is an eyebrow-raising 90-degree turn back to the soil, adding a goodly amount of country grit and axle grease resulting in a most pleasing album. Cruising the interstate between Steve Earle and Dave Alvin, Lost Love and Highways burns twang like rubber, especially on the opener “Bullet From a Gun” and “Ain’t Waitin’ No More.” Lovable Louisiana legend Lazy Lester pops up for some sweet harmonica work on “A Word About a Woman,” but the real catalyst here is the trio’s road-polished tautness. Rootsier than a cypress swamp, Lost Love and Highways is a pleasant surprise, and a fine record to put on for that next trip down the blacktop.

***.5

This article appears in December 3 • 1999.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US