Feel the power

First of all, it’s the Power of County, not country.

This is a mistake that founding member Matthew Stark says people often make. Five years ago, Stark met up with Rives Curtright upon the recommendation of a mutual friend. After eight hours of jamming, they had compiled a set list of 28 songs consisting of a handful of originals and some old-school bluegrass tunes. In the years since, the two have grown what started in those eight hours into Power of County, a rock ‘n’ country band with attitude. They incorporated Mike D. on bass, Andy Bacon on drums, Dan Baldwin on percussion, Erik Clampitt on pedal steel and harmonica, and Sean Buck on mandolin and fiddle. The name comes from an old post-Civil War legal stipulation.

“Basically, when they were restructuring the South the government was taking way more power over local governments than people felt they should be,” Curtright said. “So power of county was law that was passed that gave rights to local governments and people. It’s like being able to handle things on your own, and giving the finger to the man a little bit.”

Their first show was a house party for the Flying 15 motorcycle club. According to Stark, biker parties have been a common platform for their music over the years.

“One of the coolest aspects of the group is that we’ve been around a lot of bikers,” Stark said.

Power of County has amassed a sound that falls into the vein of good ol’ classic country and classic rock. If you dig the outlaw country sound, you will most likely fall for Power of County’s rough-edged take on western music.

“I like to describe it as bluegrass-inspired word wise, as far as our subject matter,” Stark said. “And then we fill that up with some Rolling Stones attitude and some Willie and Waylon attitude.”

Both founding members have a history playing in punk rock bands. Though both also carried a love for country along with them through the years. Stark, for example, grew up country in Sisters, Ore. where he went without water or electricity until he was 13 years old.

On Aug. 1, Power of County will be celebrating the release of their album See You in Rock ‘n’ Roll Heaven, at Dante’s. With this being their third album, both Stark and Curtright give a sense that recording this LP was by far their most comfortable experience.

The previous installments of Power of County didn’t give them the range they felt they wanted. And, with See you in Rock ‘n’ Roll Heaven, they were able to stretch out and work in a far more relaxed atmosphere.

Power of County was also able to take their time with this album, recording it between November 2007 and January 2008. In the end, they captured a country album with a straight up country sound that many perhaps haven’t heard in some time. In fact, some may have to be told that this is actually country music’s real deal, and not the Toby Keith they’ve been spoon fed for years now.

“I like people to know we play original music,” Stark said of the album, “Music from our heart.”

Power of County and Jesse DaytonDante’sAug. 1$5