Reckless Kelly
The Day (Reckless)
There’s something to be said for being consistent. A lot, really. Austin’s Reckless Kelly kicks off their second full-length studio effort with “Floodwater,” a bar-band Southern rock number that burns like a shot of Jim Beam and gets things rolling quick on a hopeful note. “Arizona Skies,” on the other hand, is as insipid as early-Seventies Poco, back in the days when “country rock” was well on its way to giving itself a bad name. “Hard Fight to Win,” with its Hammond B-3 in the background, calls to mind the Band with its swampy groove, but “Walk Out Now” lays there like a puddle of used motor oil. Then “Torn Up” is a guitar-driven rave-up. Reckless Kelly is maturing musically, and certainly has the talent, production, chops, and staunch fan base to back them up, but the slack songwriting makes it hard to get behind this band and stay there.
This article appears in November 24 • 2000.