Tilford Sellers & The Wagon Burners 'Heartaches, Lies and Cheating Songs' - Self Release

It's good to know, and hear, that out there in the regions of the U.S. there are still acts immersed in the sound of the honky-tonks. This tight Columbus, Indiana outfit play a set of original songs that recall the heyday of 50s and 60s country music without sounding like they belong in a museum. The very fact that Sellers is a strong writer with a warm and weighty voice that recalls, without mimicking, the great vocalists that have gone before him is enough to warrant him some attention and admiration.  As with a lot of the best pure country Sellers is not re-inventing the wheel here. He is instead, with his band, re-affirming that there is a lot of life left in the music that so obviously in their lifeblood (if not on the radio or in the charts) . The Wagon Burners are Baylee Pruit on snare drum, Sippy Boulton on pedal steel and guitar and Justin Meier on upright bass along with guest Pat Fiddle on fiddle. They deliver a solid, rhythmic and righteous sound that runs from the instrumental Sippy's Lament to a whole slew of songs that live up to the title, a theme too often absent from the mainstream these days. The titles of these songs tell you what to expect; You Always Shut Me Down, Two-timing Mama, Bad Times Are Here To Stay. Most of these songs are short, catchy and eminently danceable, for the most part. The life blood of a honky-tonk band, the place where they still sound best no doubt. But if you can't get there then this, their first full length album, is the next best thing. This album contains exactly what it says in the title but it won't bring you down, rather it warms you up for another round and gets you ready for a Saturday night, no matter where you might be. As the opening songs says "If you've got the time (just stop on by)", you won't be sorry you did.