Rating: NNNN
After his seven studio albums with the Waco Brothers, it might be time to stop describing Jon Langford as “of the Mekons.” There hasn’t been a decent Mekons album since the 80s, and Langford’s Chicago squad of roots rebel-rousers have been tearing up booze cans over the last decade, leaving a trail of sweat and broken bottles in their wake (as revellers at the recent Horseshoe anniversary show will attest).
A killer live rep isn’t so easy to live up to on disc. But Waco Express captures their energy and spirit by keeping the mix appropriately raw, yet polished enough to make it blast-worthy on your hi-fi. Even the between-song chatter entertains, especially Langford’s introduction to Death Of Country Music, in which he deadpans, “It’s something we’ve been working toward for some time.”
