Never Make It Home

The high-speed, nearly reckless playing and themes of murder and booze are still there, but Never Make It Home also finds Split Lip Rayfield evolving to a more mature, complex approach that calls to mind the late-'60s rock/bluegrass alliance between Dillard & Clark. The heart-worn "Record Shop," with its gorgeously mournful harmonies, particularly calls to mind the songcraft of the legendary Gene Clark. Nevertheless, Split Lip Rayfield stays ornery enough to spark the adrenaline. On "Dime Store Cowboy," for instance, the group, while taking aim at L.A.-type cowboys, wields enough venom for a whole Wu-Tang Clan: "Don't say you're my friend/Hell, if you say it again/I'm gonna come at you with my fist, cocked gun in my boot/Dime store cowboy, you look so good/Bet you run at the first sign of trouble in Hollywood." This album is a tangible leap forward for a group that is fueled by equal parts punk energy and bluegrass musicianship. ~ Erik Hage