The Moaners Dark Snack

In the hearts of both Southern gothic and Delta blues, Mississippi natives the Moaners are channeling their native lands to create country rock with an edge.

Previously Trailer Bride’s singer, Melissa Swingle plays guitar, and ex-Grand National member Laura King is on drums, comparable to the White Stripes, if only for their two piece lineup and genre of music. Produced by Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids, the Moaners present Dark Snack, the band’s debut, sounding like the rock version of Swingle’s previous set.

Though the record moves at a steady gallop, there are a few honorable mentions. “Paradise Club” is the Moaners’ take on the often covered “House of the Rising Sun,”where songs “Flannery Said” and “Elizabeth Cotten’s Song” are odes to the band’s influences. When Swingle proclaims, It’s hard to be proud to be American/When our country’s being run by rich greedy men on “Hard Times,” it’s heard as just another problem with America, rather than another politically-charged election year release. For while the Moaners don’t seem too enchanted by their surroundings, Dark Snack serves up solace for the sorrow-filled and nostalgic.

Article Author: Crystal Erickson

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