By Michael Swanger michael@dmcityview.com

Old 97’s play People’s Court on Tuesday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $18 through IowaTix.com..

More miles around the bend for Old 97’s

When No Depression magazine folded this year, the alt-country movement (whatever that was), for all practical purposes, died. So it should come as no surprise to those of us who followed it with such reverence during the last 18 years to see “Best Of” compilations and repackaged “early” albums for sale from some of the genre’s pioneers like Uncle Tupelo, The Jayhawks, Whiskeytown and the Old 97’s.

Formed in Dallas in 1993, the Old 97’s — like a lot of alt-country acts — merged punk, rock and pop influences with traditional country music while flipping a symbolic middle finger to Music Row and Garth Brooks during the 1990s. They released a couple of albums during the next few years on Chicago’s independent Bloodshot Records and developed a loyal underground following. But in typical Nashville fashion, by the time Elektra Records signed them in 1997 and released their breakthrough album “Too Far to Care,” featuring the hit song “Timebomb,” the alt-country movement had reached its pinnacle and they were rerouted back to the indies in 2001.

But seven years later, after most of their peers disbanded or compromised their sound through lineup changes, the Old 97’s are chugging along with a full head of steam thanks to their ability to traverse multiple musical tracks and work around singer Rhett Miller’s solo career. Though Elektra Records issued “Hit by a Train: The Best of Old 97’s” in 2006, Miller says the group’s new album on New West Records, “Blame it on Gravity,” best embodies all the facets of the Old 97’s thus far.

“‘Too Far to Care’ was a good example of how we rock live and it captured our energy, but it didn’t have the prettiness,” he said. “‘Fight Songs’ had the prettiness, but didn’t have the rock. This album runs the gamut and is a good introduction to the band, better even than the ‘Best Of’ album. This is who we are — we’re a loud rock ‘n’ roll band that occasionally can be very pretty.”

Like most Old 97’s records, the lyrics on “Blame it on Gravity” justify the melody and the melody brings the listener closer to the words.

“We took our time so the songs were as good as they could be and the production was good and Ken (Bethea) could agonize over his guitars,” said Miller of the band’s four years between studio recordings. “It was a great feeling, warm and relaxed. I think it’s going to make us want to rush back in and record another one because it was so much fun.”

After 15 years of recording and touring, Miller said he sometimes wonders if the Old 97’s still need to record albums. Then he turns on the radio is reminded why they should.

“Sometimes you say to yourself, ‘How many songs do we need? How many songs does the world need from us?’” he said. “But people need to keep filling up their iPod and finding something to connect with; and you can’t blame them because there’s a lot out there that’s calculated and big business stuff trying to steal your money, so it’s good to find a little bit of art.”

Now that he is a husband and a father of two young children, Miller said he has discovered new sources of inspiration for material when he sits down to write tunes in his office/garage. He also says his songs are increasingly becoming an outlet for his fiction writing.

“I’ve gone from writing stuff that’s so autobiographical like ‘It’s 2 a.m. in the morning, I’m so drunk, where are you?’ to more fiction-based songwriting, which kind of goes along with my master plan I came up with years ago when I quit school and decided I’d do music for a while then write fiction,” Miller said. “Some day I’ll do more short stories and maybe even write a novel. But for now I’m trying to create these little characters in my songs and let them live for just three-and-one-half minutes.”

In 2001, when the band was recording “Satellite Rides,” Miller wasn’t so sure the Old 97’s were a viable outlet for his pop-oriented songs. So he embarked on a solo career that he says has been more help than a hindrance to the Old 97’s.

“Being in a democracy is great because the sum of our parts is more powerful than the individual parts,” Miller said. “That said, I’ve spent a lot of years in this democracy being told no and having ideas shot down and having songs thrown in the trash that I thought were good songs. So I told the guys ‘I’ve got to make solo records, this is killing me. I can’t be told no this much.’ It has made it possible for me to stay in the band and it makes me appreciate it when I come back to it.”

Adulation from loyal fans at concerts who have stuck with the band over the years also continues to motivate the Old 97’s, Miller said.

“We just played the Austin City Limits Music Festival a few days ago, and it was a great feeling to take their energy and convert it into rock ‘n’ roll,” he said. “Onstage is where we live. There’s something ministerial about it, like we’re this little army going from town to town trying to win over fans and help people have a good time. This world can be a very dark place, more so perhaps than ever. So it’s nice to get people together in a room to sing and dance, maybe get drunk or make out with somebody.”

Scene notes
Gospel singer and actor (“Godspell,” “Bruce Almighty”) Bill Thomas performs Friday, Oct. 10 at First Christian Church, 2500 University Ave. Tickets are $10 in advance through IowaTix.com. … Country music singer Dan Evans, who appeared on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser,” plays Friday, Oct. 10 at 8 p.m. at the Point of Grace Church in Waukee. Admission is $5. He’s on tour promoting his new album, “Goin’ All Out.” … Billy McGuigan, who portrayed Buddy Holly in “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story” at The Des Moines Playhouse, switches genres and eras in his performance of “Yesterday and Today,” a tribute to The Beatles, now playing at the theater through Sunday. … The free U.S. Cellular World Food Festival will be held Friday through Sunday in the East Village. In addition to food and beverages, several bands will perform including Blue Island Tribe and Lady Blue. Visit www.worldfoodfestival.org. CV

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