Steve Dawson and The Hooded Mergansers play American music, oddly, led by an ex-pat Canadian. Think if gutbucket blues and cosmic country had a kid who grew up listening to pre-WWII Hawaiian slide and some offbeat psychedelic soundscapes. Think a little more about Ry Cooder at his greasy best. It’s music with roots, but also detours – sometimes subtle, sometimes experimental, a little butt-shaking and always compelling.

Dawson, at the center of it all, plays slide guitar like he’s deciphering a code. He writes songs that sound familiar but fresh like you’ve heard them before in your subconscious. The Hooded Mergansers are more than a backing band. They’re Dawson’s hand-picked partners-in-crime from his East Nashville existence. They fill the spaces with a thick backbeat, well-chosen fills and just enough eccentricity to keep things interesting.

Live, they are locked in tight. One moment fastened to a deep groove, the next, floating in an atmospheric wash of sound. They make music for people who love old records but want to discover something new. If you’re looking for a band simply rehashing the same old thing, keep looking. This ain’t that.

–Jay Nelson