The Rolling Stones famously said "It's only rock and roll, but I like it." And I think that is a good summary of this week's album, Front of the Parade, the new third release by the band called the Muckrakers. It's a group that takes a lot of familiar elements and mixes them together in a fairly conventional way, but does it so well that the result is a worthy and memorable album.

The Muckrakers are based in Louisville, Kentucky, and embody a kind of Americana sound that draws on folky acoustic guitars, sincere, unpretentious vocals with strong harmonies, interesting songwriting and classy musicianship. The band was founded by Rob Carpenter, whose bio says that he wrote his first song at age 11, as a tribute to his dog. The band got its start in 1997 when Carpenter met another guitarist/vocalist and songwriter John Ruby at Western Kentucky University where both were history majors. The two worked as a duo, doing the coffeehouse circuit, and thus honed what would be come the band's folky sensibility. They were joined by bassist Brian Meurer for their first CD, called Forgot to Breathe released in 1998. Drummer Dave Sparks joined the following year, and The Muckrakers took advantage of the nascent Internet music phenomenon, becoming one of the most popular bands on the mp3.com site at the time, with thousands of downloads and brisk sales of their CD through the site. That led to their second CD in 2001, called Losing Sleep.

With the popularity of their music growing, and the band's touring schedule widening, they were signed to an independent label, and began working with an outside producer, Todd Smith, known for his work with Smash Mouth. The band also grew to a quintet with the addition of electric guitarist Micah Gerdis. The band recorded Front of the Parade in Louisville as well as in Nashville, to get the services of some additional musicians, enlisted by Smith, including some string players from the Louisville Symphony to add some subtle parts.

If you are looking for something startlingly innovative, edgy or trend-setting, the Muckrakers are not your band. Their melodic lines evoke vague feelings of deja vu, though they're not imitative, and the lyrics explore familiar topics, and indeed are sprinkled with phrases that border on the cliché. But it's all very tastefully done, with tunes that are more than three-chord rock, and a combination of sincerity, intelligence and solid musicianship that is in fact rather rare these days. Though there are elements of contemporary roots rock in their music like an undercurrent of acoustic guitars and the occasional wash of a Hammond B3 organ, their sound is a little more sophisticated than most roots rock bands, and at the same time, the word "slick" is not one that comes to mind for the Muckrakers. About the only major surprise is a tune which turns slightly toward the hip-hop with a rapper doing a verse, and a turntable scratcher providing some appropriate sounds. But throughout, the CD is a collection of classy, understated rock.

Leading off is a song called Cigarettes and Magazines, a typically appealing and tasteful track. The lyrics are an oblique swipe at the those who wear their religion on their sleeves. The song features all the elements of the Muckrakers' sound, the folky undercurrent, the excellent vocals of Carpenter and Ruby, the interesting structure and arrangements. <<>>

The song pitched by the record label as the lead track is Through My Door a kind of love song, that celebrates the whole act of having a crush on someone. <<>>

With a rather more energetic sound is Hold On, featuring some intriguing literary references in the lyrics. <<>>

The track with the unlikely hip-hop juxtaposition is When the Morning Comes, which otherwise borrows some influence from 1960s British pop. <<>>

Speaking Brit-pop, the track Wake Up sounds like the kind of song that the Hollies might have done in 1968. The Muckrakers show their influence -- conscious or otherwise -- in that respect, and the result is a another fine piece. <<>>

The band shows its mellower side on Breathe In Breathe Out, which for me is one the highlights of the CD. It represents the Muckrakers' understated but sophisticated approach to what is basically familiar territory, both musically and lyrically. <<>>

Two songs segue together toward the end of the CD and mark some of the most compelling music on the CD. Gone, is ostensibly about parting, and features some of the band's best writing. <<>> That blends into Working My Way, a song which tries to bring together that which may have been torn asunder in the previous song. The track builds to almost an anthem like quality. <<>>

The CD ends with a kind of folk and country influenced waltz called Happy Inn, showing another facet of the band, which they also handle well.

In listening to The Muckraker's new CD Front of the Parade, I am reminded of one of my favorite albums from the early 1990s, the Scottish band Del Amitri's Change Everything, which featured a similar kind of sophisticated folky sound. It's not often that this kind of style comes along in this form, despite its familiarity. The Muckrakers strike just the right balance between roots rock, energy, unpretentious but charismatic vocals, and good writing that uses ingredients that may have been heard a thousand times before, and turn them into music that is very engaging and fresh, in a way.

Sonically, the CD is also commendable, with the mix keeping everything in perspective, good clarity and some subtle but creative studio effects. But as is so typical these days, the sound is compressed much more than it should be, which sucks out some of the airiness and dynamics of the recording. An unusual addition to the CD is an extra track at the end by a different band, Digby, introduced by Rob Carpenter of the Muckrakers. That's a novel way to cross-promote other bands on the same record label.

One normally associates Kentucky with country and especially bluegrass. The Muckrakers have definitely absorbed some Americana from their home state, but their intelligent, tasteful, brand of rock goes well beyond that, transcending the confines of contemporary roots rock, and yet sounding as if their music was something you grew up with.

(c) Copyright 2005 George D. Graham. All rights reseved.
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<<>> indicates audio excerpt played in produced radio review

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