The Green Mountain Rebels Shine
By Rachel Wick
Reluctant dancers out there be warned, because The Green Mountain Rebels If It Don’t Shine will leave even the most tentative music lover, dancing around their apartment like a maniac. Note: I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to any neighbors who had to witness my "dancing" while I was listening to this CD.
All joking aside, The GMR’s disc has a plethora of soulful tunes that can’t be boxed into any specific genre. The Green Mountain Rebels sound is a stellar fusion of influences from blues, country, rock and blue grass. If Bob Dylan and Lucinda Williams were to integrate their sounds and added a splash of bluesy harmonica, they might sound like the GMR’s.
The band formed in the summer of 2004, and have had toes tapping at their live shows ever since. They received local acclaim in 2005 by winning the 2005 Miller Genuine Draft Battle of the Bands; this earned them a set on the Harley Davidson stage at Summerfest in Milwaukee.
Among the band’s distinctive qualities are the impassioned vocal harmonies of Elizabeth Christianson and Jered Shaw against the strong back drop provided by David Koenig (lead/rhythm guitar), Chuck Caldwell (drums) and Matthew Staudenmaier (bass).
"The Sweetheart Dance" showcases Shaw and Christianson belting out the age old tale of when good love goes bad, and reveals scorned lovers waging war over who has been more wronged. Christianson sings "A good man well you know, he’d take me out, and he’s show me what being a woman is all about" with such force, that its as though you can hear a woman in the background shouting "girl, that’s what I’m talking about!"
"Sunrise (East Winds Gonna Blow) begins with blue grass influenced harmonica and guitar rifts that build to a climax as Shaw sings with such fervor that you think his soul might actually explode from his body.
If It Don’t Shine wraps with "Heading Home" a song that will resonate strongly in the heart of anyone who has traveled the long and sometimes treacherous road home. It is a lovely acoustic tune showcasing Christianson’s crooning and Shaw’s gravelly twang as they meld into the tones that transport listeners to the journey’s end.
The Green Mountain Rebels achieve a rare thing in this album; channeling the limitless energy and soul of their live shows onto a recorded medium.
On May 25 the GMRs will perform in WAXX radio’s Big Star contest. The winner will open for .38 Special and will play an hour set at this year’s Country Jam. To get additional information regarding the contest checkout the WAXX website or the band’s website http://www.myspace.com/gmrebels.
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