Fresh Prints

Trophy Husbands, Grave Danger to debut new platters

Comments (0) By Bob Mehr Thursday, Sep 7 2000

Whether flashing various emotional colors or paying homage to their musical ancestry, Insley and Daly have a rare appreciation for and command of the nuances of country phrasing and storytelling. They're the kind of guys who've spent endless hours studying every inflection found on the long players of Jimmy Martin and Joe Maphis, and they have put that informal education to good use.

Musically, the bulk of the dozen songs stay within the confines of a laid-back country groove. The rhythm of drummer (and musical chameleon) Tom Post -- he doubles in Greg Simmons' Royal Normans on guitar -- and bassist Jeff Farias (who also provides the "Ghost Riders in the Sky" vocal gloom of "Cowboy Justice") go about their business quietly, never intruding on the proceedings.

Leah Fasten

Loving husbands: The Trophy crew -- Kevin Daly (foreground) and, from left, Dave Insley, Jeff Farias and Tom Post.

The Bob Boze Bell painted cover of the Husbands' blood-and-guts epic.

More About

Farias and Insley's tasteful production solidifies the sound with deft touches of choral harmonies, meaty top-string twang and familiar shuffle beats, elements that help make meaningful sonic connections to the records and artists that inspired the Husbands' muse in the first place.

Among the cast of players who guest on the album are Nitpicker comrades Borick and Jim Bolek, pedal-steel star Jon Rauhouse and guitar guru Doug Williams, as well as Rustic labelmate Tammy Patrick, whose ghostly trills counterpoint the lament of Insley's "Skellys 1975."

Despite the help, the record is primarily a me-and-the-boys effort, with little to distract from the chemistry of the four-man core. While the group's cheeky moniker suggests that the whole affair might have been conceived day drunk on a Sunday, it's executed with the level of wit and precision that few similarly intentioned recordings can claim.

The group is scheduled to celebrate the release of the disc on Saturday, September 8, at the Arizona Roadhouse in Tempe. Sharing the bill will be Tammy Patrick and Destroy Your Generation DJs. Showtime is 9 p.m. and cover is $5.