The Last Call Girls are the quintessential Kansas City band. Musically, they embody the collision of rock, blues, and country, which continually finds its epicenter in this former cow town. Their lyrics give a voice to all those people who may live paycheck to paycheck, but who nevertheless find happiness in working hard, loving harder, and drinking hardest.
This quintet started as a duo, featuring guitarist and songwriter, Heather Brecht, and lead vocalist Robin Powell, before disbanding in late 2000. However, the glamour of singing about clogged toilets and double-wide trailers proved too alluring, and the group reformed in May 2003-this time with bassist Elizabeth Schoch and drummer Jeff McGinness. A year later, they added Dana Catlett on fiddle, and eventually Scotty Rex replaced McGinness on drums.
Brecht's writing and guitar playing lies at the heart of every LCG's song. Her lyrics are witty, intelligent, and effortlessly strike a balance between joy and pain, creating a sense of catharsis that has always been one of country music's most enduring features.
Although the songs are often built around a deceptively simple chord progression or blues riff, it is Robin Powell's signature drawl that makes them seem innately familiar. Her vocals make you feel as if you have heard these songs before, maybe on one of your father's old records.
Schoch's bass lines regularly cause listeners to bob their heads, bouncing between lighter accents and heavy, plodding notes that pound the tracks like summer raindrops. When Rex adds his driving kick-drum and intricate tom-tom fills, The Last Call Girl's rhythm section turns these catchy country ditties into foot-stomping rock songs. But it is also his excellent work on the snare, from the softer shuffles to the buckshot snaps, that never lets the group stray far from the realm of genuine country music.
Finally, Catlett's superb fiddle playing adds an essential element of color and emotion to the group's tightly constructed songs. Her part frequently creates a counterpoint to the melody, weaving in and out, even wrapping around, the other instruments. A classically trained violinist, Catlett's tone is silky smooth, as adroit as it is playful.
In the end, The Last Call Girls may sing about heavy drinking, but they are more likely to inspire listeners to dance their blues away than to drown them in a bottle.
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