The members of Denver’s Slim Cessna’s Auto Club call their music simply “American” due to its mélange of domestic styles, while their press materials label them a “revolutionary force in Country music.” While the band’s sound comes across as true, soul-baring and authentic (with the use of upright bass, piano, pedal steel and banjo), its uniqueness makes them difficult to precisely describe with just a few words; even “Alt Country” seems an understatement. A rare Country signing for Punk godfather Jello Biafra’s Alternative Tentacles label, the group blends Gospel, Folk, Goth, Country, Rockabilly, Blues and Rock and spits it out in a singular manner that brings to mind a jam session with 16 Horsepower (frontman Cessna performed with members of that band pre-SCAC), Mark Lanegan, The Avett Brothers, Violent Femmes and former Cincy greats The Ass Ponys. If you believe Spin magazine and No Depression, the group’s free, 10 p.m. show at MOTR Pub (1345 Main St., Over-the-Rhine) Thursday is a must-see — both publications have declared Slim Cessna’s Auto Club the best live band in America. motrpub.com.
