Bad Mountain

You know you've hit the jackpot when you're streaming music online and you almost instantly search for the “download” or “donate” tab. That's what happened when I listened to Arlington band Bad Mountain's self-titled, six-song debut.

Their nostalgic sound steps right out of a John Wayne movie, dusty saloon piano and all. Front man Jesse Anderson uses a rough-around-the-edges inflection and a fuzzy speaker box pedal for a soapbox. His band members are heavy-hitting locals: Daniel Creamer of Dovetail delivers flighty keys for a satisfying contradiction of exuberance and heartbreak. Nate Wedan of Somebody’s Darling plays percussion.

Opening track “Even On A Rainy Day” is anything but dreary, with Anderson’s translucent chords and a humming upright bass to guide the way. And what bluesy Americana group is complete without a whining harmonica? It comes through loud and clear in “A Woman Like This” — a heartbreaking track about love lost. Anderson’s vocals come screeching to a halt when it matters most, leaving you with the same sinking feeling he had while writing the dismal number.

The guys are working on a successful Kickstarter fundraiser, asking for donations for “proper packaging” for the new EP and the creation of their first music video. Check out Bandcamp to hear the heart-thumping tunes for yourself, or head to The Prophet Bar on November 6 for a live rendition. - Pegasus News -Brenna Rushing

Singer-songwriter Jesse Anderson honed his decidedly old-fashioned blend of country, ragtime, and blues at several live acoustic shows. But when it was time to make a record under his chosen nom de plume, Bad Mountain, the expressive troubadour decided to recruit additional musicians to add sonic depth to his common-man compositions. He asked burgeoning local producer Beau Bedford (Larry g(ee), Kirby Brown) to help assemble some dudes at Dallas’ Modern Electric Sound Recorders, and the expanded Bad Mountain ended up making a five-song eponymous EP that could effectively score a western or a railroad saga. Not to imply that Anderson’s songs are tired in any way. He delivers the down-on-luck verses to EP opener “Even on a Rainy Day” with a shaky, half-intoxicated cry. It’s compelling stuff, and it should be interesting to see Anderson’s full band work it out live on Nov. 6 at the Prophet Bar, 2548 Elm St., Dallas - DallasNews - Hunter Hauk

There’s a wonderfully disorienting sense of temporal dislocation when pressing play on Bad Mountain’s eponymous debut EP. Fort Worth singer-songwriter Jesse Anderson makes music that could easily be an artifact from another era — a time when Twitter was just something birds did, and rooms were lighted with kerosene lanterns — but which feels wonderfully alive on this Beau Bedford-produced effort, recorded at Dallas’ Modern Electric Sound Records. Backed by an ace trio of musicians (drummer Nate Wedan, bassist Mike Talley and pianist Daniel Creamer), Anderson evokes the rustic likes of Ray LaMontagne — particularly on standout track Union Hill — and even mixes in some gospel and folk flourishes. A talent worth keeping tabs on. Bad Mountain plays Dallas’ City Tavern Saturday.

-Preston Jones/DFW.com - DFW.com- Preston Jones