Country and Midwestern Rock that makes beer taste better and shots go down smoother

There’s something immediately infectious about Mark Stone and the Dirty County Band. The opening track of ‘Trifecta,’ ‘Kickin Up Dust,’ is a foot-stomping, intense jaunt through an aggressive, raw country blues sound. Stone’s gravely vocals sound like they’ve been

Country and Midwestern Rock that makes beer taste better and shots go down smoother

There’s something immediately infectious about Mark Stone and the Dirty County Band. The opening track of ‘Trifecta,’ ‘Kickin Up Dust,’ is a foot-stomping, intense jaunt through an aggressive, raw country blues sound. Stone’s gravely vocals sound like they’ve been summoned from the soil itself, something further accented by the sparse instrumentation provided by the Dirty County Band. There’s a searing electric guitar, a thunderous bass and percussion section, and that’s it. That’s all the sound needs, though, and it’s fun through and through.

The range of Stone’s voice is particularly impressive, showcased on ‘Never Drinkin Again’ as he traverses several octaves pretty effortlessly. His voice is authentic and real. This music feels lived in, worn by life. ‘Never Drinkin Again’ is a gritty hangover tune, thematically reminiscent of ‘Sunday Morning Coming Down’ or the like.

‘Settlin Down’ is a good finale to ‘Trifecta,’ offering the most upbeat performance of the three songs on the EP. This is where that Skynyrd influence is apparent, and it’s clear that Mark Stone and the Dirty County Band would be a wonderfully enjoyable band to see live. ‘Settlin Down’ is good country dancing music with an edge. The vocal harmonies are nicely executed, too, and the distorted sonic landscape suits Stone remarkably well.

This is a great little EP. There aren’t any performances that’ll completely blow your socks off, but it’s not designed to be a lyrically profound or instrumentally experimental experience. It’s designed to be a good romp through southern rock and roll with a unique rawness to it. Mark Stone and the Dirty County Band provide that in spades, and I’d recommend checking out their live shows in the Midwest area if you’re a local.