Ninja Gun "Restless Rubes" 4/5

Uninspired corporate FM is brainwashing the world and Valdosta is no exception as the maniacal Black Crow has the city's citizens shackled in a similar state. There is hope in homegrown punk-country heroes Ninja Gun and their latest album Restless Rubes.

If you haven't heard of the self described Podunk kids before, the term punk-country might incite shivering, thumbsucking flashbacks to the Tim McGraw/Nelly mash-up of yesteryear, but, fear not, Ninja Gun's Replacements meets Tom Petty chased with a PBR sound will keep your toes tapping at the next hootenanny (or shindig, if you prefer).

The band's South Georgia heritage is clear upon first listen, although I'm disappointed to hear nobody blowing on a jug or tickling a washboard. Musically, Ninja Gun sounds like a combination of the country ditties the guys listened to in their daddys' pick-up truck and the rock/punk abominations they championed away from freezing glares.

Lyrically, the entire album illustrates the band's love/hate relationship with its Deep South upbringing; for example, beginning with the album's title track "Restless Rubes," where frontman Johnathan Coody laments "Painted in shades of grey/The uniform they praise/Why should it end this way?" and later on "Red States Blues" with "In a present state of bright red/I'm legendarily alone."

This album is a complete experience whether you're driving 80 mph down dusty back roads listening to "Eight Miles Out" (my favorite song of '08 so far), or making out under the stars in an F-150 listening to "Life is Loud." Restless Rubes proves Ninja Gun belongs in the same class of young Southern bands like Band of Horses who are redefining the meaning of Southern rock.

photos taken from myspace.com/ninjagun