Fans of earlier Old 97's material that were put off by 2001's slickly produced Satellite Rides or especially Rhett Miller's sickeningly sweet solo album Instigator will be pleasantly surprised to find out that Drag It Up, the sixth album from this Dallas affiliated alt-country group finds them going back to a much more understated sound and style. The Tennessee Two style feel of the opener "Won't Be Home" is fantastic starting point, and it's followed by the excellent twang of the pedal steel guitar driven "Moonlight."

Drag It Up is definitely one of the loosest records the Old 97's have done in recent memory, and nothing points to that quicker than lead guitarist Ken Bethea taking lead vocals for the first time ever on the silly "Coahuila." "Coahuila" isn't really anything special with it's odd opening lyrics of 'I turned my microwave on and I cooked my chicken ravioli' but it is interesting to see these guys do something this off-the-cuff that feels like something either the Violent Femmes or Ween might have tried to accomplish.

The "New Kid" and "Adelaide" are also fine additions, but the tear jerking ender "No Mother" is the crowning achievement here. Dedicated to a friend of the band that was killed by a drunk driver, "No Mother" has the heartbreaking chorus of 'No mother should ever have to lose a son, no no never, especially not such a handsome one.' Drag It Up is definitely not one of those records that is going to win these guys many new fans, but it should definitely reinvigorate old fans who might have given up on them a few years back.