Reckless Kelly's excellent new studio album, Bulletproof, its first in three years, drops Tues., June 24, just three days before the Austin-based alt-country quintet plays the Skipperdome. The band's debut disc for Yep Roc finds brothers Willy (vocals/guitar) and Cody Braun (vocals/fiddle/mandolin) turning in a varied set of twangy bangers (the rollicking opener "Ragged as the Road," the title track) and polished, pedal-steel-'n'-fiddle weepers such as "Mirage" and "Don't Say Goodbye," both of which could actually play on commercial country radio — which may irk some folks. But remember, Reckless Kelly, despite its name, has been issuing equal parts torch and twang for the past decade. Local alt-country standouts Urbane Cowboys open.
WMNF Presents Reckless Kelly w/Urbane Cowboys, 6 p.m. Sun., June 22, Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa, $13 (advance), $16 (day of show).
This article appears in Jun 18-24, 2008.