The brotherly harmonies of Willy and Cody Braun form the foundation for the sound known as Reckless Kelly. If you read the reviews on this site, you know MusicAustin is a big fan of this band. So imagine the joy when Reckless Kelly came out with an album in 2006 called Reckless Kelly Was Here. It's their ultimate, must-have, gotta-love-it, piece of work. (Until the next album, anyway.) Reckless Kelly Was Here includes two CD and a DVD recorded live at La Zona Rosa. Their full-out twangy rock never sounded or looked better. And you get a dose of their sense of humor in bonus footage on the DVD. It's perfection.
Their 2003 release, Under the Table & Above the Sun , includes drummer Jay Nazz, guitarist David Abeyta and the latest addition to the Kelly gang, bassist Jimmy McFeeley. This album is genuine alternative country, flavored with some country rock, but mainly flavored with Reckless Kelly's unique musical outlook and long history of hours on stage perfecting their sound.
In 2005, they released Wicked Twisted Road. The CD includes bonus video selections, a Wicked Twisted Road board game and great new tunes. Special guests dot Wicked Twisted Road, including Ray Kennedy, Kevin Welch, and Robin English. (Read Virginia's Review of Wicked Twisted Road.)
Under the Table & Above the Sun also contains some great bonus material for your computer, including the gang at their goofiest in a Reckless Kelly movie documentary. There is also a very cool e-card being offered by Sugarhill Records as part of this release that you can send free or just enjoy watching.
The band's name is taken from Ned Kelly, the 19th century Australian bank robber. Despite wearing his trademark suit of armor, the original Kelly suffered the misfortune of being shot some twenty-eight times during his capture. He survived long enough to be tried and hanged.
The group originated in Oregon, but, as they saying goes, they got to Austin as quickly as they could after they realized that alt-country was where they were headed. Their first year in town they took home the Best New Band Award from the Austin Music Awards party.
The Day, released in 2000, scored very high marks among reviewers and lovers of the Texas country sound. Also released in 2000, was Acoustic: Live at Stubb's, which captured the energy and excitement Reckless Kelly generates in their live performances.
Their band received high praise from Austin's popular singer Joe Ely, who said, ?Reckless Kelly is my kind of band; hell-raising, hard playing, kick-ass songwriting, feet firmly in the present but with an amazing knowledge of where it has all come from. What else is there?? They make a big hit with the audience, too. Male members of the audience might remark on the great musicianship or guitar playing, but the female audience members have been known to push through the crowd for a closer look at the handsome lads themselves.
Visit recklesskelly.com for more information, lots of photos, and an up to the minute schedule of where you can see them perform.
