Don't Take It Easy (Natural Disaster, 2000)

The second release from Massachusetts band Ware River Club offers 11 songs are nothing particularly out of the alt.country ordinary ¡ ragged guitars, heartfelt lyrics, mandolin and lap steel on hand to smooth out the rough edges.

But this is anything but forgettable from a band boasting former members of New England bands like Angry Johnny, the Blood Oranges and The Johnson Boys.. Songs like "Sinking" and "If You Need to Leave Me" are well-crafted stick-in-your-gut sing-alongs that hold up with repeated listenings.

"I'm going down to the radio station, and I'm gonna burn it down ¡ to the ground," sings Matt Hebert on "Genertaions." Well, that'd be one way to get their attention. It seems that laid back, rootsy pop anthems like "Generations" and "Goddess of My Street" would do the job better than arson. Heck, "Generations" has the best "Ah-woo" in it since Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London."(Natural Disaster, Box 317, Putney, VT 05346)