Kick a Little (CD - 1994)

Little Texas: Dwayne O'Brien (vocals, acoustic guitar); Tim Rushlow (vocals); Porter Howell (acoustic & electric guitars, slide guitar, 6-string bass); Brady Seals (vocals, electric guitar, piano, Hammond B-3, keyboards); Duane Propes (bass, background vocals); Del Gray (drums).

Producers: Christy DiNapoli, Doug Grau, Little Texas.

Recorded at The Soundshop, The Loft and Scruggs Sound Studios, Nashville, Tennessee; Ardent Studios, Memphis, Tennessee; Record One, Studio City, California.

"Amy's Back In Austin" was nominated for a 1996 Grammy Award for Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.

Personnel: Porter Howell (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, slide guitar, steel guitar); Dwayne O'Brien (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, background vocals); Brady Seals (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards, background vocals); Tim Rushlow (vocals, guitar, background vocals); Duane Propes (vocals, electric bass, bass guitar, background vocals); Del Gray (drums).

Audio Mixer: John Hampton.

Recording information: Ardent Studios, Memphis, TN; Record One, Studio C; Scruggs Sound Studios, Nashvill; Sound Shop Studios, Nashville, TN; The Loft, Nashville, TN.

Photographer: Bill Bernstein.

On KICK A LITTLE, Little Texas revels in the energy and freedom of their souped-up country music, a personal niche that is equal parts rock, folk and blues--an extension of many New South bands that emerged in the wake of the Allman Brothers.

Thus a song like "She's Cool" employs a screaming electric slide guitar as melodic counterpoint to flesh out their tale of an elusive, enigmatic young lady. "I'll Hold On To Her" sets up its main melody with a rhythm track that recalls Pete Townshend's "Pinball Wizard," and culminates in a churchy piano solo right out of Bruce Hornsby's Americana. And the opening get-down anthem "Kick A Little" is chock full of deep-fried, full frontal boogie--what made Charlie Daniels such a hero, a few years back.

Little Texas' music is distinguished by bedrock solid musicianship, and rich vocal harmonies. Among the many country factors at play in their work is humor. "A Night I'll Never Remember" is a good-natured drinkin'-to-fergit-her song, while "Hit Country Song" is like a droll send-up of the most popular cliches around, from puppy dogs and gun racks, to "a jukebox and a barstool and old `Faded Love.'" minimize