Review Summary: A little-known classic. And that's a damn shame.
Country is a polarizing genre, to say the least. As has been noted by many, many other people and reviewers, most people's reaction to country is some variation of 'Ew.' Generally speaking, these people will make exceptions for genre classics like Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, or modern 'guilty pleasure' bands. Often these confessions will almost sound like an apology. This is, more or less, a reflection on the dismal state of modern country. It's become a genre which has largely been hijacked by corporate America, and marketed squarely at the Republican-voting demographic.
On the other hand, you have the aforementioned “red-blooded”, hyper-patriotic Americans who gobble modern country up and gave rise to musical abominations like Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean and Toby Kieth. On a personal note, it was country musicians like this who kept me away from the genre for so long (with some exceptions), which only makes me resent these artists all the more.
There is a third option though, for those willing to forgo their preconceived notions about country music. The underground country music scene populated by the likes of Hank III, Those Poor Bastards and of course, the now-defunct The .357 String Band. While your grandpas country was generally great and your dad's country probably sucks, this new breed of country is gunning right for the disenfranchised American demographic.
It should be noted that this music won't be for all country or bluegrass lovers. The .357 String Band brewed a potent blend of blazing punk and neo-traditional insturmentation, referring to their style by the tongue-in-cheek portmanteau of 'streetgrass' (street punk + bluegrass). Fire & Hail is their masterpiece. This album exemplifies everything good and decent about today's country and bluegrass.
Comprised of mandolin, guitar, stand-up bass and banjo on this album, these boys from Wisconsin pulled no punches on this album. Their music is fast, aggressive, gritty and heartfelt. This is the album that will either win you over to the new, underground country styles, or turn you off entirely. While it was released in 2008, it's held up as well as any album could hope to. The themes addressed are timeless, ranging from hitting the bottle ('Down on a Bender') and wanderlust ('Black River Blues') to heartbreak ('Darleen') and just balls-to-the-wall streetgrass ('Glory, Amen').
Unfortunately, following the somewhat controversial departure of their original mandolin player, Jayke Orvis, shortly after this album was released, their music suffered a marked decline. In 2011, they called it quits. Which is a shame. This band is one of the prime examples of how good modern country can be, and this album in particular exemplifies how to do everything right. The instrumentation is fantastic, the atmosphere is fresh while paying homage to what's come before, and the lyrics are relateable to a modern audience. Particularly one which has been so brutalized by the mainstream country machine.
There's a line by Hank III in his song 'Dick in Dixie' that goes like this: “I'm here to put the dick in Dixie, and the c-nt back in country.” Fire & Hail showcases a similar piss-and-vinegar approach to country. You may not like it, but that's fine. Underground country is here to stay, and even though The .357 String Band may no longer be with us, they left an indelible mark on the scene. One can only hope that eventually their influence starts swinging the mainstream in a more brighter, more relateable direction. Check it out if you get the chance, if this doesn't qualify as a modern country classic on par with Hank III's 'Straight to Hell', nothing will.
Favorite tracks:
Glory, Amen
Black River Blues
Down on a Bender
Little Black Train of Death
