The Mother Truckers

Any band that cites influences as diverse as AC/DC, Tom Waits and Hank Williams Sr., no matter how crass its name, is probably worth a listen. Factor in a “Best Roots Rock Group” award from hometown paper the Austin American Statesman along with a track called “Streets of Atlanta,” and it moves to the top of the stack. The Georgia Satellites should have made the reference list, since their combination of rowdy Stones-inspired licks and Southern shit-kicking propels the Mother Truckers’ Let’s All Go to Bed. It’s not a new, let alone innovative, sound, but the Truckers’ raw, twangy energy and ramblin’ revved-up honky-tonk is country rock the way it was before the genre was diluted for urban cowboy consumption. Female singer Teal Collins shifts from a sweet croon to a vicious growl, prodding co-founding guitarist/vocalist Josh Zee to shoot out tough, tender licks for hot-wired songs far more potent than the group’s moniker and tacky cover photo implies. 3 stars

The Mother Truckers play Vinyl. $10-$12. Sat., Aug. 9. 9 p.m. 404-885-1365. www.vinylatlanta.com.