Alabama 3- ‘Outlaw’ (One Little Indian) Released 23/05/2005

Armed with their gravel voices and infatuation with deep America, Alabama 3 are back on fine, if a bit familiar territory, with 'Outlaw Express'. Opener‘Train Intro’ could perhaps have been dispensed with, although it does warn you in some ways about what’s to come…like ‘Last Train To Mashville’ which almost defies description - ‘Mash’ is the key word here. With its mix of electronica, country music, Native American style backing vocals, gospel beats and one of those voices that would be equally at home scaring you shitless with that ‘hey boy, your ass is mine, don’t go out at night’ or pouring burning love into your ears. “Mashville” it certainly is, but to work all these elements into one song and succeed is astonishing. This ability to mix n’ match carries on with ‘Keep Your Shades On’, only this time there’s a touch of jazz and even rap thrown in and with lines like “Flick baby, flick my switch, blow my head off/ If you’re gonna’ cry keep your shades on” it's an absolute killer.

‘Hello I’m Johnny Cash’ is certainly the most commercial number but all it has going for it is the emulation of the great man's voice - something between a bears growl and a goodnight kiss, true it's strikingly similar but there’s no great depth to the song. ‘Up Above My Head’ takes the theme of country blues, rips it apart and rearranges it to form a kaleidoscopic sound. Later, ‘Adrenaline’ has an opening which should definitely be avoided if drunk or stoned because you will loose all touch with reality. After which though it’s a pretty standard country blues number, that is of course until the band turn the whole thing on its head with a mutation into rap. ‘Have You Seen Bruce Richard Reynolds’ is a very country sound without any pretensions that puts ‘The Great Train Robbery’ firmly in the psyche and the repertoire of many folk artists to come. With ‘Honey In The Rock’ you get a blues rich, sex laden number that makes clever use of phraseology and song titles interwoven between the male/female vocals. It's a guaranteed groove n’ smooch sound and speaks volumes about the physicality of love. Or to put it simpler, hot sex! 

There are no surprise musical ambushes here but fortunately  Alabama 3 have taken all preconceived ideas about country music and thrown the rule book out of the window. There is a feeling that they could do what The Eagles did for long haired country music with this ability to break barriers. A couple of songs may be too traditional for some but this is not an album to judge by its cover. Country themed it may be, but this is urban cool with a slick chic touch all of its own.