Colt 66 - Colt 66

Colt 66

Colt 66
self-released; 2014

3.2 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Colt 66 is a collaborative audio project by artist and writer Dan Moxham and musician Wild Blue Rivers. They just released a self-titled album Colt 66 that combines rock, Spaghetti western, rockabilly and a bit of everything else at times. Colt 66 has some original, good tunes that are backed by a singer who sounds like Johnny Cash at times. That’s why it is such a shame the recording quality doesn’t do these songs any justice. The songs sound like they were recorded with one mic with little to no post-production.  I’m not going to go into the laundry list of issues but I beg them to try and collaborate with an experienced engineer next time around so the listeners can bathe themselves in more aesthetically pleasing waveforms.

The music itself is a mixed bag. Colt 66 plays a variety of styles but I preferred when they were experimental, crossing genres. A glaring example of this is the second song “Work” that sounds like a beautiful mess of German industrial, punk and a tinge of Joy Division. The tone is aggressive, raw and in your face. The ascending chorus is one of the most memorable moments on the album. 

“Crow Creek” is an upbeat, knee-slapping good time. The song was made for a massive sing-along with friends and copious amounts of beer. It’s a solid tune but I was hoping a beat would drop half way through to add some more energy. “Boots” is a blues inspired tune that breaks out an acoustic guitar along with some strategically placed lead guitar while “Home” is the most heartfelt song on the album.

They close with a highlight entitled “The Great Unknown.” The subject is a bit lewd at times so cover your kids’ ears if this is playing in the background.

Colt 66 is a decent start for the band. They have their own thing going for them and I liked their style. Let’s just hope we get to hear a more polished version of the band in the future.

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