*** Marah

LET'S CUT THE CRAP AND HOOK UP LATER ON TONIGHT

(Black Dog)

You'd never know it from the twangy, rustic hues of their music or singer David Bielanko's achy-breaky drawl, but Marah (named after a river in the Book of Exodus) are from South Philly. Guess it makes sense -- Springsteen's from the swamps of Jersey, after all. And there are certainly a few nods to vintage Bruce's verse-spewin', harmonica-blowin' heartland trip here, as well as gestures toward some of the Boss's extended family of like-minded troubadours: Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt, a less-laid back J.J. Cale, and a bar band covering variations on the Stones' "Country Honk." On their confident debut from Mississippi alterna-country band Blue Mountain's Black Dog label, Marah also toss in some unconventional, not entirely successful touches. An exuberant burst of Beatle-esque Magical Mystery horns opens "Fever," and dulcimers, xylophone, and bagpipes crash this country-rock party of loose talk, shambling grooves, and good-timy thrills. I could do without Philly sports announcer Harry Kalas's cameo intro to "Rain Delay," yet another baseball-as-metaphor-for-life number, but mostly things get off on the right foot.

-- Jonathan Perry