Wednesday, June 11, 2008

The Old 97's, with Rhett Miller (left), perform tonight at the Paladium, 415 W. 600 North, Salt Lake City. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $16 in advance, $18 the day of, at SmithsTix.

The "Old 97" was a Southern Railway train involved in a 1903 wreck due to operating at a dangerously high speed.

Although the country-rock band the Old 97's doesn't want its new album to be known as a train wreck, the speed of the new album is similarly dangerously, and exhilaratingly, high.

"It's pedal-to-the-metal," said Rhett Miller, frontman of the Dallas band that headlines the Paladium on Wednesday. "What we're doing is a rock album."

The up-tempo album, "Blame It on Gravity," released May 13, is much different from the band's previous effort, "Drag It Up," which was a more contemplative, softer album. Apparently, that was on purpose. "Our albums have always been reactionary to the previous album," said Miller of the working mode of the band that has been together since 1993.

While Miller has released several solo albums, the band has never disbanded. In fact, it always seems to be on the cusp of breaking through. The band's formula is simple: undeniably catchy melodies paired with Miller's heartbroken lyrics. But the band has suffered by falling through the genre cracks, its sound too rocking for the country charts and too country for the rock charts.

In person, Miller is much more upbeat and optimistic than his lyrics make him out to be, and he even offered up a Utah connection before being asked. His sister-in-law is dating Utah native Jason Hartley, the author of Just a Soldier: A Year on the Ground in Iraq. And, as a surprisingly happily married man, Miller has encouraged his sister-in-law to wed. Now, that doesn't sound like someone who once compared his heart to a stripped-down car.

The secret to the band's longevity, Miller said, is that they never rehearse. Between albums and tours, they stay away from each other to avoid getting on each other's nerves. The only rehearsing is done onstage, live in concert. "By the time we get to Salt Lake, we'll be tight," he added.

Hayes Carll is an up-and-coming singer-songwriter also from the Lone Star State. He is bringing his band and touring in support of his second album, "Trouble in Mind," released in April.

The former door-to-door vacuum-cleaner salesman is pleased to be touring with the Old 97's.
"We seem to have mutual fans," he said. "We're not from different planets. I won't be playing death-metal."