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Written by Rebecca Reardon Tuesday, 02 October 2007 16:01

Gringo Star sound like Lynyrd Skynyrd + The Wallflowers + smoke-filled honky-tonk joint.

Do you like southern rock? Yeah? Check out Gringo Star, a four-piece from Atlanta. These guys are touring like crazy, here and abroad. Which says to me that people are digging them. The blurb from Team Clermont promoting Gringo Star kind of made me throw up in my mouth a little bit, what with its references to "carpet-crawling majesty" and "sweat-soaked baroque." But hey, I had a full day of yard work ahead of me, so I popped their eponymous CD in my player.

Brothers Nick and Peter Furgiule, Pete Delorenzo and Matt McCalvin pleasantly surprised me. My favorite track, "Coming for You," features an upbeat melody, tight harmonies and a rock-solid hook. Team Clermont compares them to The Kinks, but to me, they sound more like Lynyrd Skynyrd + The Wallflowers + smoke-filled honky-tonk joint. Makes me want a whiskey. Maybe two. B+ | Rebecca Reardon

RIYL: The Animals, Calexico, The Wallflowers