Buzzbox

Roger Clyne‘s best-known composition might be the theme song to King of the Hill, which he performed while fronting The Refreshments. That country-rock romp captures the essence of Mike Judge’s dead-on depiction of suburban Texas life, and though the tune is an instrumental, the low-key lyrical wit Clyne demonstrates in other songs is comparable to the show’s desert-dry humor. His new group, The Peacemakers (Hank Hill would have a field day with that hippie name, I tell you what), delivers an equally accurate portrayal of his hometown of Tempe, Arizona. The group features three guitarists, including Scotty Johnson from The Refreshments’ Tempe neighbors The Gin Blossoms and Stevie Larsen from Dead Hot Workshop, a group Clyne once gently chided in song for its members’ “ripped-up clothes.” This talented trio allows the band to pursue several directions simultaneously: twangy rock and quirky pop, breezy balladry and hillbilly soul.