Boxcar Radio at Eddie’s Attic January 14, 2022
Waiting on the stairs Friday evening and viewing the band-bill wallpaper at Eddie’s Attic, I could already sense high anticipation for Boxcar Radio. Once inside, the quarters were packed with the adorably wooden Decaturites (but good manners not belying their enthusiasm), and a liberal sprinkling of rowdies. It seemed a sold-out show, and the vibe in its entirety was not unlike a metaphorical mosh pit – people eager and hopeful to hoist the band forward to a larger stage– perhaps similar to a crowd seeing an early 80’s Indigo Girls show or maybe even REM at a dive bar in Athens.
Kim Ware, whose upcoming opening for Kathleen Edwards kind of puts her in the “big deal” category, opened for BR with casual confidence and some honest and clever songwriting that toggled a progressive country/indie sound.
Given the opening act and the fact that the band had their beginnings as a Graham Parsons tribute, I had expected some combination of a folk/indie sound. I didn’t hear much folk, but BR’s style has been compared to Wilco, and I could see those commonalities throughout the evening. Most of the catalog they played, for example, had that restrained emotion where you just kind of float dreamily around on the song, and Rod Bond does, indeed, have a sound similar to Jeff Tweedy, whose vocal power and smooth execution of the lyrics augment the life experiences of the everyman. This kind of 90’s “alternative” sound, though, can be a little boring – more cheese and crackers than ham sandwich. However, a few things set BR apart.
First, they shunted through the decades adding little bits and pieces that reminded me, at points, of the Flying Burrito Brothers, some country music so old I couldn’t name it, some softer Green Day, a little REM and Nirvana - even a tiny Jimi Hendrix tease at one point and a smattering of Bo Diddley in the middle of one song. That’s Americana for you, and those unexpected influences (that I heard, anyway) seemed to be combined in interesting ways throughout the evening.
The second was Mark Ever’s guitar work, which kept the train moving swiftly over the tracts. I heard someone in the crowd yell, “Let Mark play!” which echoed my own thoughts, because just as I was beginning to get into the groove of the solo jams they would abruptly end. Mark is a huge asset to the band, both as a songwriter and a musician, and one whose more central placement in their identity might be, in my opinion, the deciding factor in whether or not they move forward as something both rooted in their genre(s), yet original enough to catch the eye (or ear, as the case may be) of a larger audience.
The third was a moment that showed the band’s potential as a whole: a cover of Band of Heathen’s Hurricane. Again, Mark’s slide was salient to the experience, but Rod’s strong vocals and the harmonies from the rest of the band captured the resigned but resilient tone of the song – even better than the original, I thought. I hope to hear future songs that capitalize on this unique synthesis of the band members’ strengths.
Altogether, the experience of the Eddie’s Attic living room feel, band banter that seemed natural and humorous, an enthusiastic crowd, and many musical moments created a satisfying audience experience. Boxcar Radio has a lot going for them - an engaging stage presence, pleasing vocals, creative and skilled guitar work, strong backup rhythm that allows the vocals and guitar to shine, great vocal harmonies, and music-writing potential. While this is, no doubt, the corniest show review ending ever, where BR is concerned, I am hopping aboard and cranking up the tunes.
Jeff Hall - Bass · Mark Evers - Electric Guitar · Rod Bond - Vocals · Don Olsen - Drums.
Link to audio of show (courtesy of Steven Ziegler (Z-Man):
