A diamond in the rough

Here at Vibes, we are a very inclusive, tolerant bunch. You can catch us a festivals and concerts from almost every genre from bluegrass to dubstep to heavy metal. One genre we typically won’t touch with a ten foot pole is country, especially given the direction that modern pop country has taken the genre. However, every now and then we are given a reminder to not knock a whole group because of the actions of a few high profile members of that group. New York’s The Izzys, a band that has faded into obscurity over the last few years, put out an absolutely spellbinding country-inspired rock album in 2007 called The Violent Bear it Away that has us changing our tune in regards to the merits of country music. One of the most notable tracks, “Slow Drag” is a melting pot of country, blues, and surf rock that will make you swear this band is from anywhere but New York.

Lead singer Mike Storey’s vocals, which sound like a slightly less gruff version of CCR’s John Fogerty’s, mixed with falsetto background vocals, free form guitar solos and rough-around-the-edges percussion gives the song a quintessentially early 70’s feel to it. Fitting in with its classic country and blues roots, “Slow Drag” elicits a feeling of solemn acceptance of an undesirable situation; there is a definite tone of sadness in the lyrics, but the melodies bring out a sense of positivity and the strength to carry on. While it’s unlikely we’ll hear anything new from The Izzys in the future, “Slow Drag” is a hidden classic, a diamond in the rough, a reminder that there truly are no bounds to musical styles and that genres are not absolute.