Jimbo Pap - It Can Always Get Worse (2019)

The members of Los Angeles-based Jimbo Pap don't wear rhinestoned Nudie suits like the Flying Burrito Brothers did, or like so many of their current peers continue to — in fact, they declare that right away, in the first verse of their debut LP’s first track— but they do represent a modern, updated version of their city's roots-rock legacy. This is a band that makes honest, relatable music about heartaches, tough breaks and city life with coed vocals and a wry sense of humor that doesn’t strain to be overly clever. In 2019 there’s nothing new about the alchemy of country and rock music, but the devil—as always— is in the details: the way musical artists transfuse these elements is what yields distinction within what we usually refer to as Americana music. "It Can Always Get Worse" straddles borders, nodding to some decidedly old-school influences while still living in a semi-modern, rock-influenced world...