High Noon

High Noon tends to get stocked in the country bins because of their name and Western-style stage clothes, yet the trio actually operates as a rockabilly band. Guitarist Sean Menscher, vocalist and guitarist Shaun Young, and upright bassist Kevin Smith all arrived via country routes, which explains why George Jones sits alongside Sid King and Carl Perkins in their range of influences. Their overall sound closely mirrors that of the original Crickets, so vividly that Buddy Holly could plausibly have cut “Rockin’ Wildcat” right after “Rock Along with Ollie Vee.” The group handles both country ballads that swing and unadulterated rockabilly rave-ups with equal ease, and they execute the material as genuine virtuosos rather than tourists dabbling in country-rock, a fact made clear by Menscher’s guitar solo on “Devil Woman.” All of this makes the band well worth seeking out.