The Only Prescription? More Cowbell.

Worthwhile music has emerged from Orange County before, but rarely with the twangy goodness of Limbeck. The quartet’s latest album, Let Me Come Home, continues the band’s musical metamorphosis. Whereas endless touring wears many musicians down, Limbeck seems only inspired and their sound only strengthened.Guitarists’ Robb MacLean and Patrick Carrie, bassist Justin Enstminger and drummer Matt Stephens have spent years together, many of them on the road. Their affection for each other and the music they play readily comes through the speakers, lending a genuine quality to their music that many bands spend years trying to craft. Their signature sound is intensely catchy country-rock, with perfect touches of harmonica, tambourine and even glockenspiel.

From simple tales about escaping overenthusiastic opening bands in the “Parking Lot” to gaining a new appreciation for familiar landscapes on “Home (Is Where the Van Is)” – the storytelling on this album is excellently done. The excitement of a new love is conveyed as MacLean signs about making peace with “Sin City:” “I used to hate that city/I never liked that place it’s true/But now I like Sin City/Cause it’s got you.” Limbeck fits perfectly into the alt-country world of the Old 97’s and Kathleen Edwards with solid lyrics and tight melodies.

For many music fans the ultimate praise for an album is that it’s perfect road trip music. Limbeck takes this further. Let Me Come Home will make you want to quit work and get out on the road immediately; like life is really lived out there… somewhere. Buy this album, buy the one before it, then just try and resist the wanderlust spreading out from the speakers.