Lucky Pierres
My Temptation
My Temptation, the second CD from Dallas' Lucky Pierres, finds them moving away from the "cocktail country" label they had previously used to describe themselves and closer to a brand of country that's straight out of Texas. They mix styles from pure honky-tonk to smooth country rock to edgy alt.country throughout this 13-song collection; that the quartet does so with effortless grace is surely a testament to the band's prodigious musicianship and songwriting talents. Led by Kim Herriage -- who contributes twang via guitar, steel guitar, and dobro -- and Michelle Pittenger, whose vocals alternate between soothing and torrid depending on the setting, the Lucky Pierres tackle age-old country topics like adultery, lost love, and despair, and they do so with tuneful melodies and without resorting to cliché. The real test, of course, is whether they can keep it all fresh, yet respectful of the country tradition. They're successful most of the time, and when they are, it's accomplished with a combination of grit and polish that fans of better-known but equally talented contemporaries like Dale Watson, the Derailers, and the Old 97's are sure to appreciate. Songs like "Jacksboro Highway," the dusty road song that opens the set, the deep torch 'n' twang of "Lay My Head Down," a Gram Parsons-inspired California country duet, "Never Turn Around," and the high-stepping honky-tonk of "Night Before I Wed," prove the Lucky Pierres to be one of the best country bands, with the emphasis on band, out of Texas in a very long time.
