Customer Reviews

Povertyneck Hillbillies (W/Dvd)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Prime Cuts: She Dreams of Wild Horses, One Night in New Orleans, The Night that Changed My Life

Country rock is not only alive and well with the Povertyneck Hillbillies, it's the stuff that defines this Pittsburgh seven men band. Chipping in to the precedence set by Restless Heart, Brooks and Dunn and Alabama, the Povertyneck Hillbillies' brand of blue-collared sturdy hard-driving twang with the occasional nod to nostalgia may not make for a novel sound, but there's a freshness to their music. This is thanks in part to the unobtrusive production of Bob Corbin and the conviction behind the performance of lead singer Chris Abbondanza.

Vocally, Abbondanza calls to mind Danny Shirley of the Conferderate Railroad with the same bluesy gruff with an added cut of Hank Jr's outlaw attitude. Of note also is the presence of presence of helmsman Corbin from the Corbin/Hanner fame. Corbin's heavy handedness in the group's song choice evidence in the re-cutting of tracks such as "One Night in New Orleans," "She Rides the Wild Horses," "Mr. Right Now" and "Any Road" all of which had appeared on Corbin/Hanner's back catalog. Though it's a delight to re-introduce these well-crafted paeans to a new generation, one has to ask if the Povertyneck Hillbillies is a platform to showcase Corbin's own work or is he re-living vicariously through these youngsters?

Regardless of Corbin's intentions, these guys really took many of Corbin's songs to heart and made them their own. In the spirit of the French Quarters created by some delightful accordion, the irresistibly catchy "One Night in New Orleans" transports the listener to Bourbon Street to witness the makings of a love story told with a Cajun twist. With a penchant for a great storyline, the mournful ballad "She Rides the Wild Horses" tells of a lonely waitress struggling to be free from the banality of life. Lighting up the mood is the testosterone-charged "Mr. Right Now," with a man proposing a lady for a one-night stance, aided by some friendly sounding fiddles and trebly guitar licks.

Moving away from Corbin's compositions, the bopping "The Night That Changed My Life" is an Abondanza original, which finds the gear pushed back to the first time the protagonist fell in love. While the bluesy mid-tempo "Kinda Cool, Ain't It" comes from the pen of Chris Cagle, though it does not rank with any of the superstar's hits, the song boasts some interesting chord progressions. While "The Hillbilly Way" is an obligatory self-confessing redneck anthem in the vein of Alabama's "Born Country" that is quite easily forgettable. Overall, this CD is rich with driving country rock tunes, though uneven in parts, but these guys are charged up and ready for a good time.

Anyone not familiar with the Poverty Neck Hillbillies or not from the tri-state area are in for a very pleasant surprise.
the "boys" always rock the house no matter where the venue. If you aren't able to see them in person, this CD is the next best thing. The talent is unbelievable, the energy level is unending and the songs stick in your head in a good kind of way. I will greatly miss seeing them at the Rhthym House in Bridgeville, Pa but I guess I have to share the wealth and talent with everyone across the country! Enjoy this CD but be prepared for getting hooked, the "Hillbilly" way!!!!!!

WE FIRST WENT AND SEEN THESE GREAT SINGERS AT OUR LOCAL FAIR AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THEIR GREAT STYLE OF MUSIC!AND WE BECAME GROUPIES AND WENT TO TWO MORE COUNTY FAIRS TO LISTEN TO THEM.BOUGHT BOTH CD'S AND CAN'T SEEM TO QUIT LISTENING TO THEM!! THEY ARE GOING TO HIT IT BIG IN THE COUNTRY MUSIC INDUSTRY!!THEIR STYLE OF MUSIC AND ENTERTAINING WILL TAKE HOLD OF YOU AND WON'T LET GO!! A MUST HAVE CD(S)!!! BUY THEM NOW,YOU WON'T REGRET IT!!

Great CD, defiantly a musthave...great music, wish it was a little longer cause these guys have sooooo many great songs...favorite song probably has to be One Night In New Orleans, but they are all great songs...this cd is highly recommended

My sisters visited from Pittsburgh (I live in Connecticut) and were telling me about this group they have been following for quite a while. When they told me their name, I thought they were joking. Then they played the CD for me... what powerful music! Anyone that enjoys country music will love this CD.

The povertyneck hillbillies (PNH) is an amazing band. From Southwestern Pennsylvania, they were a soley local band until they were discovered. This fresh, wonderful band produced a GREAT album with unforgettable songs. If you like country, you'll LOVE this album. Make sure you buy it!

This Southwestern Pennsylvania group graduates from regional favorites to national contenders with their first Rust Records release. Drawing on original songs honed in live performance and two previous local releases, this is a great deal more accomplished than your average debut. The septet has built their career the old-fashioned way, drawing new listeners with the help of local radio play, and turning listeners into fans through energetic live shows. The band's concert work is essayed here on a bonus concert DVD produced by public television station WQED.

The band combines the multipart harmonies of Alabama with a homespun vibe that's more 70s/80s country than '00s crossover. Bob Corbin's production is wonderfully devoid of the homogenized sound of Nashville's studio sessions, transparently revealing the sound of a band that can actually play and sing together. Their rural stories are rendered as country-rock, with an electric touch of Steeltown added to the small town justice of "Jericho." The mid-tempo "She Rides Wild Horses" melds a daydreaming waitress with fiddle, pedal steel, and lush harmonies, "One Night in New Orleans" sports a party time Cajun edge, and the wry "Mr. Right Now" has rightly been a crowd favorite for several years now.

Rust now takes up the national push for these Pittsburgh hillbillies, trying to capitalize on their "it factor" to launch hits. Mainstream country music fans who long for something less polished than Nashville's current crop of crossover product should make sure and check this out! 4-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2006 hyperbolium dot com]

My husband and I never heard of the Povertyneck Hillbillies until we took a trip to Pittsburgh to visit my family. We saw them play live in Pittsburgh at Heinz Field on the 4th of July. They were terrific! Needless to say, we are now huge fans and can't wait to see them become the next big group to hit the country charts.

I have never been a huge fan of country music other than a few exceptions, such as Charlie Daniels and Alabama. I saw PNH live for the first time in a bar in a small town in Ohio, then opening for Charlie Daniels.. twice, actually. I fell in love almost immediately. I have seen them perform live a handful of times, and they never get dull.

I was so thrilled to get this new album after their national release. They have a rough sort of edge to them, but still sing from the heart and they make you remember how things used to be/still are when you grow up living in the country.

They are amazing vocalists and musicians who put everything they have into making their music and performing it. This is *real* talent that makes for excellent listening.

I only new of one song they sang when I bought this CD, due to me being a big Steeler fan, I purchased it for the Mr. Right Now song, but let me tell you all the songs are great on this CD, I listen to it twice a day from song one to song 10, you would not regret buying this CD.