Is there another band that has danced around mainstream success more than the Old 97’s? I hadn’t heard of them before a friend introduced me to them. This wouldn’t have been such a big deal if it happened now, but this was around the time I was working at a record store and I hadn’t heard of them. But their songs appear on all sorts of things. I’m sure I heard them on Scrubs, Ed, or The Dre Carey Show. They were the alien band in the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special! How can they sort of be everywhere and not be a name like Coldplay or Death Cab for Cutie?
If you’re not familiar with them, they’re one of the earliest of the alt-country bands, and maybe that’s it. Not country enough for the country crowd, not alt enough for the alternative crowd? I have a hard time going with that as the reason since their music is just too good in and if itself.
One of their earliest hits (on the alt charts) is also the first song I remember hearing and digging. It has a nice mix of rock and tex-mex western. The topic isn’t the happiest, though I choose to believe that the songs stops because there is a happy reunion. The plot: The singer accidentally left the back door open and their dog ran away. Until the dog comes home, the back door stays open.
Music That Matters (To Me) 
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