POKER FLATTS "Poker Flatts" (Stacked Deck Records, USA 1977 Country Rock)

 

An excellent though obscure country-rock band from Illinois, Poker Flatts is a great example of how much raw talent was bubbling up beneath the radar of the remote, sterile world of Top 40 fame. They were one of the most successful regional groups of the era, though they were never able to crack into the bigtime like contemporary bands such as the Ozark Mountain Daredevils or the Amazing Rhythm Aces. Nonetheless, they crafted some fine tunes that would appeal to fans of bands such as Firefall or Poco. The production on this album is a little rough, but to my way of thinking the unpolished moments are what make it more authentic and resonant, and what bring the craftsmanship of the band into even clearer focus, with several songs that will resonate in your mind after a couple of good listens. "Vampire Blues," "Redneck Daughter," and "Country Life" all tap into the cosmic harmonies of the times, reminding me of AOR gems such as "Aime," while several twang tunes have their charms as well, as does the SF-y funk-rocker that closes the album, "So Good," where they get to flaunt their hard rock chops. This is an archival album that screams out for reissue, a nice collection of tunes that are ripe to be covered by modern-day twangbands. I don't know if any of these guys did anything else professionally, but they sure sounded good, back in day.  

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