Barnyard Stompers – Going Down to Meet the Devil  (click on image to watch video)

01 July 2019 

In the year of husband and wife duos, let’s add another to the list. The Barnyard Stompers lean more toward outlaw country than Americana per se but will surely receive plenty of airplay in Americana. In Outlaw country is a niche boasting few if any couples. Hailing from Texas is guitarist/harmonicist/vocalist Casey Miller and drummer Megan Wise, a two-person unit who eschew any additional instrumentation on this outing, featuring nine originals. They have spent the past seven years touring the U.S. and Europe, have made three independent albums, and are poised for a breakout with this one.

When “Road Dog,” the opening track, brings you unmistakably in the world of outlaw country with Miller howling away and playing his crunchy honky-tonk guitar. It’s a sound somewhere between vintage Waylon and Whitey Morgan. Miller even has the requisite deep baritone voice. They’re out to make you dance, chug down a few more longnecks, or simply bask in the rawness of their unadorned sound.  With Megan propelling Miller along, on solos like his piercing slide on the title track, it sounds as if it could easily be a band of four or five pieces. Besides plenty of reverb, there are no synths, loops, or effects helping them along. It’s not at all surprising that they were the only duo to be nominated for Best Outlaw Group of the Year in the history of Dale Watson’s Ameripolitan Awards.

After three blistering outlaw rockers, they settle down into a simpler, more vintage country sound in “%00 Miles from Home,” returning to the outlaw sound in true stomp fashion on “Hog Slop Holler.” Miller and Wise will certainly point first to their honky-tonk heroes, extending back to the early Johnny Cash Sun Records era but will also in the same breath mention Rob Zombie, Soundgarden, and The White Stripes as influences too. You can hear some of the latter in “Demons I Carry,” which begins as a ballad but soon becomes a passionate plea set against dark, thunderous chords, and Miller’s blaring harmonica.

“Cold Lonesome Memories” sounds like a Jerry Reed tune played at double tempo, as Wise bangs away, Miller’s guitar is churning with rock n’ roll frenzy. 

Jim Hynes is an independent contributor on music for several magazines, including Elmore and Country Standard Time. He has also written for Variety. He was a listener-supported public station(s) radio host for 25 years in CT, MI, NJ and PA. He is also a Live music host/Emcee at several national and regional venues.

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