AMERICANA ROUND-UP They may call Guildford in Surrey home, but Two Fingers Of Firewater play alt. country music like a bunch of bourboned-up Tennessee homies on their self-titled debut (Chiller Records). Actually that’s not strictly true. They sound about as authentic as you’d expect any country-rock outfit from the home counties to be, but we’re not prepared to get hung up about that sort of thing. Just think of them as pub rockers with twang and you’ll enjoy yourselves as much as they obviously are. If you’ve an urge to hear some authentic Texas-style Americana then look no further than R.G. Stark. His album Not Crazy Tonight (Whole Note Records) occasionally brings to mind a Tex-Mex Johnny Cash, or Sir Douglas Quintet fronted by Johnny Dowd. The latter, especially so on “Narcocorrido Nuevo Laredo”. For those of you interested in such things, the band include Ron Flynt and Scrappy Jud Newcomb on guitars. Speaking of the venerable Johnny Dowd, his latest record, A Drunkard’s Masterpiece (Munich Records), is causing some consternation here at Bangs Towers. Some seem to think that is makes a fine job of living up to its title, while others (me and the dog) aren’t convinced. It’s all very well bringing out a concept album with a fetching line in surrealist biblical imagery, but the strength of a Johnny Dowd record lies in Johnny himself, and there simply isn’t enough of him here. Instead, a big chunk of vocal duties have been usurped by accomplice, Kim Sherwood-Caso, and I’m not keen. Joe Ely might be the only direct living link between Buddy Holly and Joe Strummer (answers on a postcard), so it’s always a treat to hear something new from the ex-Flatlander. That and the fact that he’s remained remarkably consistent over the last 15 years of so. Live Cactus (Rounder) is his latest, and captures Ely live at the Cactus Cafe in Austin with one of the all-tme great accordion players, Joel Guzman. The pair take on some of Ely’s finest songs in a stripped down, acoustic setting, and it all sounds bloody great. Ryan Bingham turns up at the death to help out on a version of Townes’ “White Freightliner Blues”. Rob F. Next Past Reviews: March 07, April 07, May 07, June/July 07, Sept/Oct 07, Dec07, Jan08, Feb 08, Mar 08