The Kropotkins "Five Points Crawl" 2000

They reinvigorate tradition with a looseness that borders on chaos.

The Kropotkins present a different kind of rock n’ roll, one very popular in alternate dimensions where American history unfolded a bit differently. The band creates a brazen swirl of punk rock, Delta blues, and urban contemporary dance music. 5 Points Crawl is their long-awaited follow-up to their first eponymous CD, released on Koch in 1996 (sample press quotes attached).
The band features Memphis singer Lorette Velvette (Panther Burns, Hell Cats, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Sonic Youth’s record Goo) bass drummer and singer Maureen Tucker (the Velvet Underground), Dave Soldier (Soldier String Quartet, John Cale group, Guided by Voices), Dog (Souxsie and the Banshees, John Cale), Charlie Burnham (James Blood Ulmer trio), and Jonathan Kane (the Swans, Rhys Chatham, LaMonte Young & the Forever Blues Band). Maureen Tucker, who performed previously with Soldier on several projects, joined the band when Samm Bennett moved to Tokyo. Violinist Charlie Burnham replaced Mark Feldman, who has gone on to a solo career.
The band use two drummers, following the tradition of Sid Hemphill (Jessie Mae’s grandfather) and Othar Turner (Othar’s music has recently become available on several CDs) and New Orleans brass bands. While in Memphis, the band visited Othar’s family and Junior Kimbrough in north Mississippi. Kimbrough, who died recently, is remembered in Lorette’s Junior’s Groove. Othar Turner’s rhythm shows up in several songs, including Sissy Wa Wa, featuring guest vocalist Eszther Balint. Two tunes, Forever Motel and Starkweather, feature lyrics by James Tucker, Maureen’s brother.

trax:
01 Truckstop Girls 02 Seconds Past Midnight 03 Sissy Wa Wa 04 Crazy Hannah 05 Junior's Groove 06 I Gotta Man 07 Starkweather 08 Forever Motel 09 Drivin' To Spring 10 Justice Down South 11 Truck Stop Girls - Live Music From A Dead Campus