Mike and the Moonpies

Country swing from here in Austin.  They call themselves outlaw country, but it sounds more like traditional Texas country than the rock and roll country that I associate with the outlaw movement.  But maybe I don't know my current country-clique nomenclature as well as I think.  You be the judge.

http://youtu.be/g2INaAQfsWc  (sorry about the dumb link).

Sounds a bit like Pat Green? 

I first heard of these dudes a year or two ago when that cruise line got stranded out in the Gulf of Mexico because the lead singer was one of the folks stranded out there on the Carnival Poop-liner and the local news made some sort of mention that a local celeb was trapped out there.  http://austinist.com/2013/02/15/mike_and_the_cruiseship.php

As a second aside, their website says that you can be in the band too if you "step on, play three hours of true country music, and you're in like flint."  Which is weird - can I play the kazoo and be in the band?  Because I will crank some true country music kazoo for three hours if I get to play ACL.  Because I find those phrases fascinating, I figured I'd take a look, because I'm pretty sure I've always said in like flynn.  According to Wikipedia, which may be entirely false, the phrase is In Like Flynn, and it purportedly has several potential origins:

1. After movie star Errol Flynn, who apparently had an easy way with the ladies, so that "in like flynn" meant that you were guaranteed an easy hook up;
2. After Edward J. Flynn, a political boss whose backing meant that candidates were guaranteed to win;
3. After some super confusing quote from a 1942 San Francisco Examiner article: "“Answer these questions correctly and your name is Flynn, meaning you’re in, provided you have two left feet and the written consent of your parents”

I'm going to go with #1.  Wikipedia also notes that a 1967 movie called In Like Flint has confused some speakers into believing that is the original phrase.  So there you have it!  Lesson over.

All of my weird side discussions aside, these guys are good.  Raw and unfussy old school C&W that is played well and sounds good.  I dig the slide playing.  They apparently play Austin all the time at the Spoke or White Horse, I should take the wife out some night and get after it.