Guns of Navarone: “Winnipeg, Manitoba”
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The Guns of Navarone is a 1961 WWII adventure flick starring David Niven and Gregory Peck. Guns of Navarone is the name of one of a four-piece alt country outfit that’s one of Austin’s best up-and-coming bands.
Guns of Navarone formed in the spring of 2009. The band released a three-song EP shortly thereafter. This past November, the band released its debut long-player Prize and Battlefield. The obvious comparison is to classic Old 97s. Frontman and songwriter Cory Reinisch’s country-flecked tunes (and vocals) recall Rhett Miller on his better days. But there’s something more fresh in Guns of Navarone’s delivery. There’s a punked-up energy and honesty that’s more in line with a Texas-flavored version of New Jersey heartland-punk band Gaslight Anthem.
Comparisons aside, it’s obvious that Guns of Navarone are on to something. The songs on Prize and Battlefield are proof of that. From the fist-raising back half of “The Clevor Men of Manor Farm” to today’s song of the day “Winnipeg, Manitoba,” the band is forging a sound that’s familiar, but also something that’s all their own. You can hear for yourself tonight when Guns of Navarone play a Free Week show at the Mohawk.
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