November 4 - 17, 1996

The V-Roys: Just Add Ice (E-Squared). While power pop was largely a Southern invention (see Big Star, the Scruffs, the dB's), the V-Roys are those rare Tennessee hookmeisters who aren't afraid to let their guitars and voices twang, and it's obvious these guys listened to more than a little country radio somewhere along the line. But they also figured out (a) how to turn up their amps and (b) write a hook that will stubbornly refuse to get out of your head. The first time I heard "Guess i Know em Right," I reverted back to my sixth grade listening habit of falling in love with a song and spinning it four or five times in a row. The good news is you get another 11 songs on Just Add Ice that are every bit as good-—fast rockers, slow weepers, hooks, melodies, craft, heart, soul, the whole nine yards. Produced by Steve Earle, whose judgment in songwriting is to be trusted and has obviously not failed him here. P.S.: the V-Roys will play the Ark in Ann Arbor with ace songwriter Jim Lauderdale Nov. 8; it ought to be good.