Jim Knable & The Randy Bandits: Blue Reunion

Way back in 2009 The Randy Bandits released their superb Americana album Golden Arrow. Life got in the way after that, the members scattered and pursued other careers, but now the band's frontman Jim Knable has rallied the troops for another shot at fame and recognition. Blue Reunion finds the band in full-on outlaw country mode, peppered with a smattering of gospel, swagger, swing and honky-tonk piano..

On the album Knable looks with a birdview's perspective at the happenings in the last decade, zooming in on details with uncanny precision. The band has deepened their sound - note the bottom end courtesy of Jay Buchanan's upricht bass - and it really comes together in the slower passages. The years have been kind to the Bandits. Creating timeleas music was always their goal and with Blue Reunion they pass with flying colours.

The Randy Bandits: Golden Arrow

The Randy Bandits from Brookyn are the kind of band who will make you want to buy friends lots of beer tasting the health of the musicians. Brass, harp and honky tonk piano come tumbling out of your speakers. Frontman Jim Knable writes catchy melodic tunes straight out The Band legacy, a hard act to follow, but he pulls it off.

The new full length Golden Arrow is a bull's eye shot that deserves a prominent place on the shelf marked Americana extraordinaire. The album was mixed and engineered Bryce Goggin (Phish, Pavement). They have honed their sound with care and dwevelopped themselves into one of todays best sounding "bar" bands who should be playing theaters and mid-sized venues real soon.