CMT Blog: Archive

If you ever get a chance to see Reckless Kelly and Micky & the Motorcars on the same night, grab some extra money for T-shirts and go. The last time they came through Nashville, it was almost overwhelming, all that greasy Texas music pumping through the Exit/In. One band has two Braun brothers, and two of their brothers are in the other band. Sorry if that's confusing -- and sorry for partying, as Reckless Kelly likes to say. And now that they both have new records, I've been getting a daily dose of Austin's finest.

Reckless Kelly's Bulletproof has the same swagger as their live show. They've been putting out albums for a decade now, and it's impressive how lead singer Willy Braun's songwriting just keeps getting sharper. He's not afraid to call somebody out, like the fickle girl on "How Was California?" (Musically, this album sounds a lot like their last one, but that's fine with me, because I really liked Wicked Twisted Road, too.) Meanwhile, Micky & the Motorcars tread that same territory, but lead singer Micky Braun isn't quite as aggressive on Naïve. However, their live show is one of the tightest I've seen, especially considering that they're relatively new, and they're definitely a tough act to follow.

Both bands are about to do a reunion weekend festival next month in Idaho. Can't make it this year, but if I could, I know what I'd be listening to the whole way there.