Contrary to contemporary music trends, Scotland Barr and the Slow Drags do not fit neatly into a “scene,” nor do they care to. Instead, they play gritty, melodic songs that float somewhere between an old school 60’s/70’s folk rock aesthetic and a contemporary alt-country, Americana furnace blast. Barr’s disturbing yet comfortable boozy vocal style and emotionally incisive songwriting sit front and center, flanked by a 6 piece outfit that can deliver weepy grooves, jangly tin-pan alley pop, suicidal ballads, garage rock, grinding two-steps and near psychedelic opuses, all while sounding like a true band. Acoustic guitar, pedal steel and keyboards tangle with overdriven guitar; four part harmonies recall the Beach Boys and the Band; full throttle drums irreverently confuse country and rock. Their style can be reminiscent of Steve Earle, Elvis Costello, the Pogues and Pink Floyd, all within a single song. With influences ranging from Merle Haggard to the Flaming Lips, their sound undeniably borrows from the classics, draws from their contemporaries and crosses many borders - yet remains distinctively their own. Their new CD, entitled All the Great Aviators Agree, was released in May 2008. More up-tempo and experimental than their singer/songwriter oriented debut, Legionnaires’ Disease, this CD promises to be a substantial benchmark in the evolving work of Scotland Barr and the Slow Drags.

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