One of the first releases from Mike McClure and Joe Hardy’s new company 598 Recordings is the Damn Quails’ Down the Hatch. You might know the folks at 598 Recordings from their previous gigs. Mike McClure has produced Cross Canadian Ragweed and Stoney LaRue. Ed Hardy has recorded folks like Steve Earle and that little known band ZZ Top. Together, you might expect they’d have an ear for up and coming talent.

The Damn Quails are made up of Gabriel Marshall and Bryon White, both from Oklahoma. Their debut album starts off with the single Fool’s Gold that folks around the station have called “damn good.” That is not the typical comment for a first single.

Fool’s Gold follows a man as he makes peace with his small town past and relationships. Well the truest test of a man’s good name is acceptance of failure and losing a game with a smile and a handshake.

I loved the chorus: Blood’s thick but water’s deeper, the wine works fine but the whiskey’s cheaper. The Damn Quails are adept at blending blues, rock and country to create a really engaging sound.

Midnight Swagger follows the patrons of a bar looking for a match made in whiskey heaven. Making it home without losing your keys and remembering to inhale (unlike Clinton) are at the top of the list for waiting out the rest of the day until dawn. I really liked the phrase midnight swagger to describe the strut of folks out on the prowl. Something about it really reminded me of the early Eagles.

The disc ends with Through The Fire. It almost reminded me of marriage vows. A man asks his true love: Would you walk with me through the valley? Would you rescue me should the water rise?

Would you feed me if I couldn’t pay?/Would you read me answers you find?/Would you need me if I could save you?/Would you leave, me leave me behind?

The band is upbeat about their first release. “Down the Hatch”, we’ve been crossing things off our bucket lists left and right. The reviews continue to pour in from literally all over the world and we can’t tell everyone just how happy we are about the way things are going for us as of late. This weekend, we get to cross off a pretty big aspiration from the list when we take the stage as the headlining act at the world-famous Wormy Dog Saloon in Oklahoma City.

It’s not often that a first album is this well done or well received. Roothog Radio wishes them luck!

Goes Good With: Cross Canadian Ragweed

Random Fact: They’re backed up by the (Damn!) “Quail Philharmonic.”

Rating: 9/10

Buy “Down The Hatch” at Amazon

Buy “Down The Hatch” at iTunes