Pecadores (Bloodshot, 1995)

Loopy might be the word to best describe this Windy City band. That's so obvious from the opening "Lucy & Jack." Amidst a driving and happy sounding, but spare beat, lead singer Kim Docter weaves a tale of seemingly true love ("they got a beautiful thing called love love love"). But domestic violence is the end result. And they attack a few other truisms of country, such as "18 Wheels," (about a woman with a trucker fixation), but this is not the sort of song any of the Hot New Country folks would sing about. And fun continues with the song titles giving you a hint of where they're coming - "You're the Reason Our Kids are Ugly" and "Too Tired to Live (Too Lazy To Die)." But don't fall into the trap of thinking this is a one-trick pony. The quintet do not come across as poseurs. They seem to have learned their country licks quite well. Mike Luke takes a hand at vocals as well, providing a nice contrast to Docter. Rachel Ferro's mandolin and fiddle playing often stand out on a decidedly different, but welcome sounding brand of country.