Concert Review: Truth & Salvage Co. in Indianapolis

By opening with “Hail, Hail”, “Call Me” and “Welcome to LA”, the band hit the audience with two of the most accessible songs from the new album, and the third, a slice of Doug Sahm-style Tex-Mex.  It duplicated the opening order of songs on the new album.
Tim Jones, Indianapolis native and former Old Pike leader, took vocal lead on “Old Piano” and upped the ante from the album version, with a lap steel guitar cry and Jones’ impassioned but controlled vocals.  His shared and lead vocals on “Heart Like a Wheel” gave this, and all the songs he was a part of, a grounded, earthy, and — dare I say — heartland rock element.
Guitarist and singer Scott Kinnebrew, wearing a wide brimmed hat (four of the six started the night with hats on), was energetic throughout the night, even pogo-ing during “See Her”.
The final run of four songs, highlighted by “Rise Up” and its “put a little love in your heart” refrain happily nicked from the 1969 Jackie DeShannon song, pushed the band to the encore. After “See Her”, they simply started to walk off stage and said “we’re done”, before turning around without a trip to the band room and adding a gorgeous, Eagles-like rendition of “Pure Mountain Angel”. The live version of the final cut from the album featured keyboardist and singer Walker Young stepping out to sing lead, while Kinnebrew, Jones and drummer Bill Smith gathered around a microphone, for some Southside Johnny and the Jukes-like R&B harmonizing. 
They crashed into an apparent ending, with Smith then retreating behind his drumkit and the rest reaching for their instruments and diving back into the song to get loud one more time.
It was one of those nights that, as a writer, you are so thankful bands like this exist.  They were having fun, playing loud, and harboring all the cool influences that make their musical stew so appealing.  And they are good at what they do, which is revive the sound and spirit of rock and roll that could be swampy, anthemic, a little bit rural, from nowhere and everywhere at the same time.  Say it: American rock and roll.
As I drove away from the show, I put the advance copy of their new CD on and listened all the way home.  Every song sounded better — and that isn’t a regular seeing-a-show occurrence for me.  Sometimes, I’ll need to hear music other than from the band I just watched on stage.  But not this time.  The live show was brasher, louder and grittier than the record, as it should have been. 
The album captures the words, the heart and the intelligence of a powerfully relaxed band. Memphis Booker T soul, West coast Eagles harmonies, Midwest rock guitars, East coast energy minus the attitude.  And joy. 
Say it again: American rock and roll.  Truth & Salvage Co. captures it.  They should be bigger;  touring and a new album wil help that issue.  Meanwhile, they played a club for about 150 people in Indianapolis on their way up – and whether they get to wherever “up” might be doesn’t matter as much as knowing a band that should be noticed came through town and put on a hell of a roots rock show.