Jason and The Scorchers – Halcyon Times

Jason and The Scorchers have been around in some form or another for the last thirty years, but thanks to some poor luck and even poorer judgement by their previous record labels they’ve never quite achieved the heights that many predicted for them way back when.Formed in 1981 the band channeled the spirit of rock and roll, punk and country. Of course, such a mix had been well established with psychobilly and to some degree the “outlaw” country stars such as Hank Williams Jr. Soon, Jason and the Scorchers gained a reputation as a jaw-dropping live prospect, and it wasn’t long before a buzz was growing around the band.The beginning of the first of many endings started in the late 80s when the band was dropped by their label, and by 1990 the band had fallen apart. As Artie Fufkin (Polymer Records) would probably put it, they fucked up the timing and split just as alt-country was starting to get a foothold. This surge in interest was thanks, in no small part to the likes of Meat Puppets and Uncle Tupelo/Wilco - even GG Allin had recorded a country album in 1991. The band reformed in 1993 and made a fair fist of it, and in 1996 they released their last album containing all original material.Apart from the odd retrospective and live appearance Jason and the Scorchers have been hibernating pretty much ever since.Halcyon Times finds Jason and The Scorchers reformed, back on fairly familiar ground and most importantly on good form. Opening track 'Moonshine Guy' is a booze soaked hoe-down based around a guy who loves the Stones and hates The Doors. It’s easy to fall under the band’s spell because although it’s clearly cheesy as hell, it has a glint in its eye, a bottle of moonshine in the cab of the pickup and a flick knife in its cowboy boot.Big country ballad 'Beat on the Mountain' finds the band exploring similar territory to Springsteen with tales of dusty landscapes and the hardships of the working man. 'Land of the Free', with big open guitar riffs and undeniably radio-friendly chorus also tackles working class pride and pulls at themes The Boss covered with 'Born in the USA'. The aching harmonica solo completes a masterful piece of Americana, as the band head towards a pleasing Creedence inspired crescendo. 'Mother of Greed' meanwhile sums up the working class outlook of the band, tracing the trials and tribulations of a depression era Welsh worker heading for the United States in order to make a better life for himself. An impassioned vocal from Jason Ringenberg and some nice Celtic touches ensure that it hits with a well placed punch.The likes of 'Golden Days', 'Deep Holy Water' and closing track 'We've Got it Going On' will please those who just want to throw off the shackles of the working week, neck some booze and cut loose. Big riffs and joyous celebrations in thundering tunes is the order of the day here, and prove that despite the break the band still revel in producing full on Rock n Roll.Perhaps the most telling song here is 'Getting' Nowhere Fast', which positively zings with attitude and makes light of the band's situation ”“ getting nowhere, but loving every moment of the journey. If it's big dumb thrills you're after, you could do a lot worse than joining them on their trip to who knows where ”“ it'll be a blast.