The Damnwells

Roots-rockers the Damnwells may have had their first taste of major-label compromise when Epic Records blanked out the title to their debut’s 41-second leadoff track, “Assholes.” Come on, Epic — is that really still a bad word? Anyway, the band reprised the song in full, fleshed-out glory for last year’s iTunes-only EP There’s No One Left in Brooklyn But You, with twinkling piano and slick female backing vocals. Alex Dezen remains one of the few alt-country singers who could, conceivably, leave the twang behind for a life in pop or modern country. Thankfully, that will never happen; pop and country fans don’t like being called “assholes.”