Reckless Kelly

Fifty Cent is a pussy. Sure, he got shot nine times and survived. Big deal. Ned Kelly, the nineteenth-century Australian bank robber from whom Reckless Kelly takes its name, caught 28 slugs and lived to tell the tale. At least until he was hanged a few days later. But the moral of the story is simple: Australians must use some shitty ammunition. That and Reckless Kelly isn’t quite as reckless with its music as its namesake was with absorbing lead. The band was originally formed in Bend, Oregon, by brothers Willy and Cody Braun before they caught the next train to Austin, Texas, so that their twangy mix of country, rock and blues could find a proper home. The band has since made a name for itself on the Sugar Hill label. Though Reckless Kelly’s music is more likely to spark a square dance than a shootout, it still hits its mark.