The Old 97's' Wreck Your Life Gets The Deluxe Reissue Treatment...

Back in 1996, when the members of the Old 97's were still residing in Dallas and the group was still considered alt-country, the band's sophomore effort, Wreck Your Life, began the band's popular ascension. Now, Bloodshot Records is reissuing the album with tons of cool bonus material. Titled Wreck Your...

By Darryl Smyers

October 7, 2009

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Back in 1996, when the members of the Old 97's were still residing in Dallas and the group was still considered alt-country, the band's sophomore effort, Wreck Your Life, began the band's popular ascension.

Now, Bloodshot Records is reissuing the album with tons of cool bonus material. Titled Wreck Your Life..and Then Some: The Complete Bloodshot Recordings, the track list features songs that appeared on rare singles and various compilations. For folks who didn't really get into the band until Fight Songs, the material from the mid-'90s is much rougher--and, in my view, much better--than almost anything that came after.

The singles "Crying Drunk" and "Eyes for You" were both mighty examples of country-punk. released at a time when the alt-country movement actually gained some national notoriety. Couple those songs with the tracks already on Wreck Your Life (such as "Victoria" and Murry Hammond's lovely "Old Familiar Steam") and what you've got is a seminal slice of history.

The release date isn't until November 17 making this an excellent pre-Thanksgiving treat or way-early stocking stuffer. Either way, this is the way reissues should be done.

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