Whether traveling by road or rail, these are songs about doggedly trying to get from nowhere to somewhere.
Speedbuggy USA are a five-piece country rock band from LA led by Timbo who says "I grew up being exposed to swampy blues, zydeco, cajun, country and rock'n'roll".
The album begins by rolling down Highway 99 ("We got a long way to go") on Still Movin' On only to be followed by winding up 1000 Miles From Nowhere where the singer is sick of trucking but resigned to life on the open road.
On Liars, Thieves And Ramblers,an ode to Woody Guthrie, the transportation is different (on a train) but the worried man blues are much the same.
By the last track of the album a truck breakdown leaves our journeymen 40 miles from the destination reflecting "it's a long walk to Bakersfield".
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Before they reach this point, Wrong Side tells of a troubled relationship and features female vocals from Bunny West; Set 'em Up is fully fledged honky tonk "living like a country song" and Rusted Cars is set in New Orleans after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
All told, this is an album that pays loving tribute to the Bakersfield Sound but twangs along nicely towards in other directions too.
Speedbuggy's website
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