Hailing from Louisiana, Meriwether is a band that’s proud of its hometown. Singer/guitarist Drew Reilley says that Louisiana is a part of the band and mix rock ‘n’ roll with their eclectic background.
Their latest album, Make You Move, kicks off with a bang with the track “New Orleans R.I.P.,” a look into the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. After the first two up-tempo songs, “B Quiet” follows, slowing the pace and actually improving upon the previous tunes.
“Machine Gun Baby” may be the best song on the album, with the guitars chugging away like a freight train and a beat that makes you want to get up and jump along with the song. It is followed by the nearly-as-good “Smile Hats,” providing a very good one-two punch in the middle of the album.
Meriwether has absolutely no trouble rocking out. The guitars, bass and drums are all solid, if unspectacular, but they provide pounding, throbbing beats that Reilley can sing over. He has a good voice, as he proves on some of the tracks, and there are some nice harmonies on a few songs. But the vocals can be a little irritating, as every once in a while they become quavering and shaky.
The biggest problem with this album is that some of the songs have little sense of direction. Most of them have choruses, but they can be hard to find. That also makes a few of the tunes sound similar. But for a good musical performance with decent lyrics, make your move toward this album.
Joey Held may be contacted at j.held1@umiami.edu.