Vagabonds and Hooligans

Album Review

"I want to be Tom Petty, I want to be a star," sings Backyard Tire Fire frontman singer/songwriter Ed Anderson and it seems he's being only partially ironic. While there isn't much on his trio's fourth album that sounds Petty-ish, the band, and Anderson in particular, do more than just churn out strummy Americana. Anderson plays all the guitars and keys, and he sings, so Backyard Tire Fire almost appears to be a solo project and he makes the most of it. His songs find a common ground between dusty folk, swamp pop and Paul Westerberg-styled introspective musings. The latter is most obvious on "Undecided," a twisty mid-tempo rocker that seems to turn in on itself. It may take a few spins to appreciate, but the album creates its own rather distinctive space and Anderson's easygoing yet subtly complex songs kick in. Co-producer Tony Sanfilippo, who also recorded and mixed the disc, layers on guitars and keyboards but never clutter the sound, leaving room for Anderson's emotional vocals and words to soar. On "Apparitions," a delayed vocal echoes the main line, which along with a ghostly pedal steel guitar, brings a spacy, almost creepy ambiance to the track. While no one will mistake these tunes as Petty creations, Anderson shows he has the potential and the talent to be a formidable presence on the Americana scene on the six-minute epic "Corinne," this disc's longest and most riveting track. There are also echoes of the Band in BTF's lean, expressive approach, in particular on "Green Eyed Soul." But, as with all quality outfits, Backyard Tire Fire finds and revels in its own groove on this impressive, yet restrained release.