I like this song. The band’s name bugs me (really?!?) and while their album shines in places it flags in others. These guys can play, but they’re so shambly sometimes that you can’t help but notice that they’ve lost focus. When I put the album on I can forget that I’m listening, until “Down In The Valley” comes on.

The song sounds epic, like it’s telling the story of its time the way the Band or the Byrds or Tom Petty told tales about the American frontier and opportunity and loss. But then you get to the bridge and lyrically it all goes to nonsense, like bad Guns and Roses, yet the music still pulls strongly into history and some authentic passion. Maybe it’s just the harmonies, but I’m totally won over every time. In fact now I’m going to play it again.