BR5-49's second full album,
Big Backyard Beat Show, was something of a "sophomore dip" rather than a full-on "sophomore slump"; given how strong the group's self-titled debut was, expecting lightning to strike with the same impact twice in a row was probably foolish, and on their second trip to the recording studio
BR5-49 sound just a bit less lively. More importantly,
Big Backyard Beat Show's set list isn't quite as impressive, though there are certainly some top-notch originals, in particular "Storybook Endings (If You Stop Believin')," a poignant story of a busted marriage; "18 Wheels and a Crowbar," a hard-edged tale of a trucker on the edge, and a witty celebration of various forms of misbehavior, "Out of Habit." If anything, where this set stumbles a bit is on the cover tunes, as the band's attempt to put a country swing to "Seven Nights to Rock" and "Wild One" sound a bit half-hearted, though they sound a lot more comfortable on
Buck Owens' "There Goes My Love" and
Billy Joe Shaver's "Georgia on a Fast Train." And while
BR5-49 still sound admirably tight and enthusiastic here (with multi-instrumentalist
Don Herron especially impressive), the production by
Jozef Nuyens and
Mike Janas adds another coat of slickness to the band's approach, and it doesn't serve them well. Still, anyone who heard and enjoyed
BR5-49's debut album is likely to dig
Big Backyard Beat Show's joyous retro-country rhythms, even if it doesn't hit quite the same heights; it's far superior to their next studio album, the misbegotten
This Is BR549.