Cody Gill Band,
Boxcars



Label: Highway 60 Music

(4 out of 5)

Every once in a while you're lucky enough to find an album that may not be perfect, but it's packed with so many catchy hooks and great melodies that you listen to it for days on end. That hasn't happened to me for a while, at least not until I got Boxcars from the Cody Gill Band.

Musically, the Cody Gill Band resembles the Eli Young Band, especially with lead guitarist Zack Hooper favoring the same style of 80s/90s riffs as EYB's James Young.

Lead vocalist Cody Gill has a solid, malleable voice with surprising stylistic range. When he sings with an edge, he recalls a young Billy Corgan (Cary Swinney's "Love Is Never Caged" – listen). When the band slows things down, he can attain an almost Kenny Chesney-like softness ("Song for You" – listen).

Most of the fare is standard — but catchy — country-rock, highlighted by the opening "Retreat" (listen) and especially "My Place" (listen).

Guest musicians add occasional sonic depth, most noticeably Rylie Osborne on B3 and piano, Lloyd Maines on steel guitar, and Amanda Brown with harmony vocals on "Beacon in the Night" (listen).

Produced by Mike McClure, Boxcars is a solid debut from this young Stephenville band. Consider the Cody Gill Band one to watch.

February 26, 2006