Dom Kegel
Driveway Thriftdwellers, from left: Kyle Rightley, Aaron Collins, Ryan Knudson, Jon Knudson and Jon Storey.
In the late 1960s, singer-songwriter Gram Parsons of the Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers came up with the concept of “cosmic American music,” a nebulous blend of country, rock, blues, soul and folk. This helped crystalize the influential resurgence of American roots music that eventually branched out into Southern rock, Midwestern heartland rock, indie-folk rock and alt-country.
Driveway Thriftdwellers, an Americana quintet with members based in both Madison and Milwaukee, started out in 2012 as a Flying Burrito Brothers cover band. That same genre-bending influence has made its way into the band’s original music, which sounds a bit
like what might happen if Ryan Adams and Merle Haggard got snowed in together at a cabin up north.
The band’s self-titled sophomore album, released in November 2018, takes on a more rock ‘n’ roll sound than their debut, Cuttover Country. Guitarist and lead vocalist John Knudson creates catchy, narrative-driven songs inspired by love, loneliness and life on the road. Each one captures a tiny vignette — a train journey, an old flame, an encounter with a dental hygienist — enhanced by slick production and solid, artful playing from lead guitarist Kyle Rightley, bassist Aaron Collins, drummer Jon Storey and pedal steel player Ryan Knudson.
The album’s best song is buried right in the middle of the track list. “Escanaba” is a joyful, twangy cowboy number that wouldn’t sound out of place in a southern roadhouse — except for the fact that it references a town in eastern Michigan. Album opener “King of Milwaukee” adds to the sense of Midwestern identity (and creates an earworm chorus), using the city as an anchor as Knudson sings about wanderlust.
The interplay between lead, rhythm and pedal steel guitars gives glorious texture to “Snow Ghosts and Alpenglow” and “Lonelier than Me.” On slower numbers,“Grandpa’s Tattoos” and “This Might Hurt A Little Bit,” the pedal steel adds gorgeous countermelodies accented by a tight rhythm section. The band owns its driving rock sound on “Bad News,” a song with a guitar riff that gives off strong Lynyrd Skynyrd vibes.
In a way, this is country music for people who might not like country — or maybe they don’t realize they like it yet. Upbeat and anodyne, vintage-feeling but somehow fresh and current, this is music that calls for cold drinks and warm nights. Driveway Thriftdwellers return to Madison April 26 for the Spring String Fling at the High Noon Saloon.
