West Nashville’s The One Through Tens  (1-10’s) shine their Alabama and Carolina roots with a savory mix on their recent self-released Fighting For a Golden Age. Although there seems to be a heavy Seattle influence, that Southeast soulful groove underlies the upfront guitar pyrotechnics of Adam Louis.

Run From Your Master goes through a very Blind Melon style funk groove and word play with guitars shifting the change ups to ask the all important question, “Why do you? Why do you run from your master?”  I guess a different way of saying “Who’s your Daddy?”

Track two, “Dyin’ Blues” starts out with a funky Bass line from Ben Lowry and Adam’s Tom Morello infected groove with Will Floyd’s vocal somewhere between a lower range Shannon Hoon and a more garage band version of The Yardbirds’ Keith Relf.

“Religious Fervor” is a slow burning slide guitar dervish mix reminiscent of Black Sabbath’s “Sweet Leaf” and The Black Keys’ Junior Kimbrough- Chullahoma period at Fat Possum.

Adam shows he is not a one style or tone player, shifting from a clean Coldplay meets Blind Melon sing along of “Eye For An Eye” to the dry track strong funk of “So Damn Sad”. If you like guitar, he is a Sorcerer’s Apprentice somewhere between Kim Thayil, Tom Morello and The Blind Melon team lost somewhere in Texas.

A Jazzy blue train sax line snakes through “Liars and Thieves” adding to the strong heady brew of a band that delivers live with the strong rhythm section of Abby Hairston on Drums and Ben solid on the Bass-meets- kick- drum lock that allows Adam to show his mutli-attack chops while Will delivers the strong on word play thought provoking message.

The Production work of Andy and Nathan Roy really holds up while the Gorillaz urban city in trouble animation cover with Police Helicopters in search of somebody as Big Brother oversees the murky existence the band appears to be fine just observing in homegrown warrior apparel at the cities edge.

Will owns This Bar in West Nashville where the band performs as well as hitting regional clubs building on their base. The One Through Tens are not to be missed if you enjoy strong dynamics with a Rock and Roll delivery. This may be closer to Birmingham’s Beitthemeans then other Nashville scene bands right now.

Just remember the keys are lying on the ground between the leaves in the dirt.

The 1-10's Live at The Rutledge April 29th, 2011

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN     thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com