Album Notes

The mood of Grant Langston's newest work, "Road Side Service", is firmly rooted in the two places that have had the most impact on him - Hartselle, Alabama and Los Angeles, California.

Since launching a solo career with his initial EP release, "All This and Pecan Pie" (1999) and thru his full length follow-up "Chinese Fire Drill" (2001), he's struggled to pay homage to two separate traditions - The Alternative Country Storyteller and Roots Rock Smart-Ass, within the same heartfelt songs.

"I just know I like Lyle Lovett records, and Son Volt records, and Wilco records. I have no idea what kind of music it really is. I don't even know what it's filed under in a record store."

On "Road Side Service" Grant lets the songwriting set the agenda and the instrumentation, a mix of mandolin, lap steel, accordion, and organ, dress the windows. It's an inspired schizophrenia that feels perfectly natural as he finds the connective tissue between Lyle Lovett, Cake, Johnny Cash and Barenaked Ladies.

"Road Side Service", captures Langston's unique songwriting take like never before, with an all-new 12 song record that not only features his backing band, The Supermodels but some of the best producers and guest players as well: Brian Young of Fountains of Wayne, Jacqueline Grad of folk sensation Kaz Murphy's band, among others. Producer Dusty Wakeman (Minibar, Lucinda Williams) lent his touch to two tracks and Paul Du Gre (Tracy Chapman, Toad The Wet Sprocket) performed mix duties. It's a broad work, alternating between hillbilly shuffles and mid-tempo story songs, with one goal in mind - make something that sounds good live.