Sporting an image of famous Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach, “Twelfth,” released Aug. 20, would catch your eye on a record store shelf. The highly recognizable image of Roger the Dodger attempting a pass with his classic two-feet-off-the-ground technique is, to say the least, an unusual choice for an album cover. And the music contained in the release is far from usual as well. 

            Over the past 27 years, Old 97s have made a reputation off of a very distinct sound. A truly fantastic, fun and tight sound, but not one with much variation. Incapsulating the spirit of cowpunk — a subgenre featuring elements of country and punk — their up-tempo songs, dominated by satisfying melodies, crunchy guitar, consistently rhythmic drums and clever lyricism, have gathered them a sizeable following. Frontman Rhett Miller writes from the carefree perspective of a young man without the burden of adult responsibility. Despite having little maturation as a songwriter over the first 25 or so years of his career, Miller was able to repeatedly write alluring earworms all on the subjects of love, loss and sex. However, this free and easy spirit changed with the release of “Twelfth.” His penchant for writing catchy tracks, however, is still on full display; especially on “The Dropouts,” the first song on the album and my personal favorite.

            Reflecting on lost youth, death and incompetence, Miller’s evolution is clear. In such songs as “The Dropouts” and “Our Year,” desperation tinged with sadness elicits a powerful image; they sing to past glory and wasted potential. Songs such as “Belmont Hotel” speak to the joys of growing up and the fleeting nature of youth and beauty. “Twelfth” manages to capture all the magic of Old 97s while still showing off growth in content and in sound. While it’s not my favorite record in their discography, it is a solid album and shows that the band still has plenty of gas left in the tank. I’m excited to see what they’ll do next.