It’s doubtful anybody would’ve put money on Madison’s ability to foster a surprisingly healthy country music scene.
From Aaron Scholz to The Dang-Its, there are a legitimate handful of great, homegrown honky-tonkers that play regularly in this area, usually for decent-sized audiences at crowded bars.
Luckily, this Saturday night, the Memorial Union music series gives both the under-aged and under-funded a chance to catch The Junkers, the group that may be the prime practitioner of this town’s strange blend of country and Midwestern. A hard driving, able-bodied quartet of musicians, The Junkers have quickly built up a large following, and they have done so by putting on a simply great live show.
Last year, The Junkers released their first album, Hunker Down, a remarkable debut filled with pathos and humor, steeped in honky-tonk tradition. Songs varied from the bluster of “Let’s Commit Adultery” to the deep emotion of “Can’t Stop The Bleeding,” from the respectfully ironic “That’s Why I Take Pills” to the unendingly clever “Susan B. Anthony Dollar Rag.”
But it’s “Buckeye Mile,” penned by guitarist Matthew Stratton, that has become arguably the Junkers’ most popular original song. The song is a gentle shuffle, sung by lead singer Ken Burns in a way that pairs the suitably witty lyrics with a suitably emotional resonance. There is no denying that lines like “I think you’re sweeter than saccharine/And your boyfriend’s smokin’ crack in Akron, baby/Forget Ohio, remember me” are funny, and they’re meant to be, but there is no snarky alt-country cynicism in The Junkers’ presentation.
“Buckeye Mile” joins other Junkers originals, like “It’s Hard To Win A Woman (When You’re Working For The Man)” or any number of examples, as part of a country music tradition that has always placed the humor of human sorrow nearby. This is the group that released a special single last December called “Murder For Christmas,” let’s not forget. Fans of Hunker Down are always rewarded at shows with a slew of as-yet-unreleased Junkers originals, including the crowd-pleasing “Cowboy La Cage Aux Folles.”
Mixed in with this large group of original songs is a nice selection of choice covers, mostly coming from the standard canon of country music songwriters from Hank to Hank Jr. (though not much Hank Jr., so don’t worry).
A live wire is thrown into the mix every once in a while; they’ve been known to play everything from Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach” to a most enjoyable version of the kids’ song “Grandfather’s Clock.”
Everything they play is done with workman-like precision, with Burns’ vocals being perfectly matched by tight rhythm and tastefully intricate guitar, steel guitar and banjo lines from Stratton. (By the way, not enough can really be said about Ken Burns’ vocals; he hollers, cries and jokes with an expertise and earnestness that prevents the band from ever coming close to anywhere near parody or mockery.) Burns’ between-song patter is also hilarious, and his on-stage humor is always an added attraction.
Opening for The Junkers will be The Shakin’ 78s, an up-and-coming rockabilly band who have impressed Union audiences both in their victorious appearance in last spring’s “Battle of the Bands” and in their July opening slot for The Kissers. The band has just completed work on its debut record and will be performing a good number of songs from the record in its opening set.
The Junkers with The Shakin’ 78s appear Saturday, Oct. 5 at 9:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union’s Rathskeller. There is no cover for this all-ages show.
