The Dirty Shame delivers outlaw country

Published: October 31, 2011

This Bozeman fivesome, together four years, just released their self-titled debut album. Lead singer and songwriter Brandon Hale leads the pack with a fine, deep baritone that growls its way through these nine tunes.

The boys' bio says they play "outlaw country," a gritty genre that rankled the Nashville music machine back in the day when Waylon, Willie, Johnny Cash, David Alan Coe, and others, tore it up and sold lots of records.

Hale is joined by Mike Hoffman, bass, Tom Day, pedal steel, Dan Wakerlin, drums and background vocals, and Dan Bradner on lead guitar and lead and background vocals. Oodles of other musicians perform as special guests.

Hale writes a lot about being in bars and drinkin' whiskey, missin' his girl, smokin' cigarettes, and drivin' – perfect outlaw stories. He's "handcuffed and hogtied" in the first number, “Don't Let the Deal Go Down," when cops' party lights pull him over.

Mournful harmonica suffuses "Last Rodeo," and the up-tempo country song "Loophole" finds our protagonist soothing his broken heart in a tavern. Sizzlin' guitar and rockin' drums propel "Spades"; the two-steppin' shuffle "Last Call," with Hale's deep "Uh, hello, bar" intro, comes next.

Crisp guitar and pumped-up fiddle rock the crowd in a Young Dubliners-styled cowboy jig – Bradner's tune, "Another Round." These guys are definitely fun to dance to in a three-beer moment!

Good production values here from Montana State University adjunct faculty member and Grammy-winning producer Doc Wiley and the gang at Peach Street Studios in Bozeman. Sounds like everything he touches comes out with a flourish!

Visit http://www.thedirtyshame.com.

– Mariss McTucker