Blacked Out

Recording information: Solo8 Studios, Salem, Oregon.
As hick-hop rolls on, California crew Moonshine Bandits continue to add new flavors to the genre on Blacked Out, while holding on to the best bits of the past, like featured raps and singalong choruses. These two elements fuel the opening highlight "Deadman's Hand" along with loud, twangy guitars and other rustic touches, while the throwback party starter "Outback" is somewhere between the Charlie Daniels Band and Brooks & Dunn, and that's a fine place for the song to be. Drinking and hollering fuel many of the best moments here, and "She's Crazy" offers up an instant strip club standard with an Usher-inspired backbeat and an Eddie Van Halen-style guitar line. Also check out the remix of "Outback," which adds the Lacs, Bubba Sparxxx, and many more likeminded rabble rousers. ~ David Jeffries