Live Tunes Tuesday - Carrie Nation & the Speakeasy

How to describe Carrie Nation & the Speakeasy? If CN&TS were a club, they’d be the Tatooine Cantina found at the intersection of Tom Waits Way, Bluegrass Boulevard and Punk Place. Last night, however, they played at the Handlebar and I was toying with catching their show. Over at ye ol’ youtube, this is the video that convinced me that I should check them out:

The lead singer has a smoky voice that lends itself well to the music they play, reminiscent of Tom Waits if Tom sang a little faster. The band is this wondrous mix of guitar, banjo, upright base, trumpet, trombone and mandolin, and they know how to make the mix work.

Lead Guitar, Vocal for Carrie Nation & the Speakeasy

Now CN&TS is great, but for me, I like my music a little more coherent, simply because I’m such a lyric man. And CN&TS has some slow songs in which the stories are great, but the lion’s share of their songs were playing a little too fast and a little too hard for me to hear what they were saying. I’m not saying that the music they’re making isn’t fantastic, it is, but for me to really fall hard for a band, they have to seduce me with words. But they do say if it’s too loud, you’re too old.

They’re got some great youtube clips though, so check them out there and then mosey on over to their website. 

If interested, buy their music here!! 

Horn Section for Carrie Nation & the Speakeasy   

Banjo for Carrie Nation & the Speakeasy 

Upright Bass for Carrie Nation & the Speakeasy