Blanche-d

Caught the Miller family and friends the other night at The Ark. M described them as 'punk country,' apt as Dan John used to play 'cowpunk' as the head of Goober and the Peas, but I always feel like modifying that when she says it to dispel any imaginings of power chords or screaming. Today, after flicking through the presets and hearing a few seconds of Garrison Keillor (a few seconds being about all I can stand), though, a description of Blanche occurred to me that finally satisfies. Blanche is 'A Prairie Home Companion' for those of us raised in the America of Iggy and Bad Religion and Henry Rollins as opposed to the one of Peter, Paul, and Mary and Joan Baez. They're celebratory Americana without the dross of sentimental hindsight; deep, traditional music for a country as steeped in sin and hypocrisy and murder as it is in love and wonder and fine shiny duds for a summer Saturday night show.

And, if you missed 'em, they'll be playing MOCAD September 12th. Wear your finest.