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Home > Austin Music Source > Archives > 2008 > September > 26 > Entry
ACL review: Sunny Sweeney
One big way in which ACL Fest is different than all the other festivals is the way mainstream country intercuts with hip indie rock bands. Even the sons of legendary promoter Louis Messina would have a hard time making it to Coachella or Bonnaroo if they had a steel guitar.
Although Austin’s Sunny Sweeney has the semi-tough demeanor of a tender biker chick, her music is aimed at Mass-ville appeal. Her self-depracating “Next Big Nothing” had the crowd of about 750 in front of the BMI stage bobbing like a rebuttal. A swipe at Lucinda Williams’ “Can’t Let Go,” meanwhile, had folks dancing. “This is Texas,” the Longview native said. “Might as well dance.”
A couple of missteps kept the set from hitting its stride. “Band of Gold,” although Sweeney’s best vocal performance of the night, was sappy, as was the new “It’s a Sweet Dance.” Even worse, “Contrary & Western,” with lines like “If you don’t like Merle, I believe/ You might end up on the fightin’ side of me” was the sort of pandering that didn’t belong in the groove fields.
At the end, Sweeney totally nailed it on “If I Could,” with its rapidfire lyrics setting up a fluid Telecaster run by Charlie Rich’s grandson Cole Lee. The Sweeney set in one word: refreshing.
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