The Takers are the newest signing to Suburban Home Records and their growing stable of alt-country, folk, bluegrass and basically just all around roots artists. The Takers hail from Gainesville, FL, and as stated by Suburban Home, are a six-piece Outlaw Country band that includes two members of Whiskey & Co.
Curse of a Drunk comes out swinging like a surly drunk who's got nothing to lose. Vicious, reeking of whiskey and desperation, and fighting for lost dreams, this album pulls no punches. It's a straight ahead ode to those not leading a charmed life. The self titled A-side is fairly self explanatory. It finds the protagonist lamenting his life as a drunk, and his struggles. What really shines is lead singer Devon Vlasin's ability to take the listener both into the alcohol induced stupor and quiet moments of lucidity that the protagonist goes through. It's a beautiful piece of storytelling, and it brings to my mind "Corpus Christi Bay" by Robert Earl Keen. The B-Side is a cover of Neil Young's "Powderfinger." While one could argue that song's specific meaning, it's a wonderful cover and well executed.
We can expect great things from this band, so don't be caught sleeping and not grab a copy of this 7". You'll thank me later.
