Lucero Essentials

Lucero have always sounded old, and that’s precisely their charm. Even in the early 2000s, when they were barnstorming every punk dive in the U.S., the Memphis upstarts’ mix of alt-country and Southern rock could’ve only come from dudes with a lot of hard living underneath their belts. Dropped in 2002, Tennessee saw it all come together for the band: tales of drink, heartache and rootlessness delivered in Ben Nichols’ charred howl. Over time, Lucero’s music has deepened, making room for heartland rock (Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers) and horn-punctuated boogie (“It May Be Too Late”), all the while retaining their ragged snarl.