Throw Down

The Wilders present a rather bizarre, though fun, combination of country and folk traditions, freely mixing old songs, acoustic arrangements, and a free-for-all style. "Honky Tonk Habit," for instance, suggests what Hank Williams' "Honky Tonk Blues" might have sounded like if it had been recorded by the Skillet Lickers. While this rather loose approach to tradition will probably offend a number of old-timey purists, this approach actually seems much fresher than yet another version of "Wildwood Flower." The band members, Ike Sheldon, Philip Wade, Nate Gawron, and Betse Ellis, manage to give the impression that they're having a good time, and while most musicians this good do take their music seriously, they sound like they're not taking it too seriously. Sheldon's expressive vocals really shine on "Honky Tonk Habit" and "Belshazzar," while the band's vocal take on Hank Williams' "The Blues Come Around" is feisty enough to get any party started. If this isn't enough to interest a potential buyer of Throw Down, there's an instrumental called "Goat Creek" and an extremely unusual take on "Drivin' Nails in My Coffin." If nothing else, the Wilders offer a glimpse at what the Talking Heads might've sounded like had they played old-timey country and folk. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., Rovi