Jeb Loy Nichols: Parish Bar

WHEN YOU PUSH THE PLAY BUTTON on a track by Jeb Loy Nichols, you never know what you're going to get. Parish Bar opens with the dusky swamp rock of 'Countrymusicdisco45', an amalgamation of styles that includes reverb-heavy Pop Staples gospel guitar, a subtle backbeat that's equal parts funk and country, synth strings that sound like they were sampled from a '70s Philly International tune, country harmonica and some blaxploitation, wha-wha guitar, and topped off by Nichols' laidback growl. It makes explicit the connection between soul and country music without sounding too much like either.