Concert review: The King Bucks

by Catherine Cuellar

DALLAS — In the glow of HDTVs displaying hockey and basketball, the King Bucks take the stage. Their hipster facial hair and faux-country fashion might get their asses whupped at one of the real honky tonks they sing about. But this is the Barley House, where the King's hold court on Wednesdays, and band members thank their most loyal listeners from the stage by name. The music starts after 10pm and a good two-thirds of the house just happen to still be there, hardly looking up from their beer and conversation.

The local boys in the 'Bucks who take turns singing lead are best known for other projects – including Sorta, the Drams, and the Polyphonic Spree. Joe Butcher's pedal steel requires an adult beverage to cry into; their twangy onstage banter recalls Paul McCartney's accent on "Rocky Raccoon"; and three-part harmonies evoke Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Like the Byrds, these musicians can rock, but their appreciation of traditional country and western song craft is sincere. About one third of their set features original tunes about hearts broken by hard living, which fit well alongside covers of classic songs by Buck Owens, Conway Twitty, and Merle Haggard. As the King Bucks' catalog grows, hopefully fans will follow -- they're heading into the studio in 2008 and just might turn up at a BBQ near you.