As
The Waco Brothers mature into a real band rather than just another of Jon Langford's many side projects, Dean Schlabowske and Tracy Dear have tried to carry a greater amount of the songwriting weight, and their sound has taken on a more individual personality, rather than the "
Mekons-with-a-twang-and-faster-tempos" sound of their debut. This didn't work out so well on 1999's Waco World, a somewhat muddled set that lacked the fire and focus of the group's best work, but
Electric Waco Chair finds the Wacos firmly back on track; Schlabowske and Dear are learning to deliver material just as strong as Langford's always top-shelf work (especially "Jamaican Radio Obituary" and "Fox River"), and the band sounds tighter, stronger, and more expressive than ever before (the three live cuts also testify to the Wacos undeniable strength on stage). If
Electric Waco Chair offers a bit less pure fury than the Waco Brothers' high-water mark,
Cowboy in Flames, from a musical standpoint it finds this band sounding better than ever before, and their rabble-rousing anger is still very much in evidence if you're looking for it; the Waco Brothers are one of the very best bands to emerge from the alt-country scene, and this album proves they're only getting better with time. ~ Mark Deming