Slimfit’s The Path was introduced to our household shortly after its December 26, 2009 release. I had missed the CD release party, and I didn’t have their last album, Make It Worse, so much of what I knew of Slimfit was based on how other people had described them.

Everything I’d read about them painted the picture of a country-inspired, bluegrass-influenced, alt-rock band. One description dubbed them “newgrass,” and I began to categorize them in my own mind accordingly.

So The Path was a bit of a revelation for me. It was all of these things, but really none of these things. I was surprised by the pop vibe of some of the songs, and also by the unmistakable – uncanny, even – Tom Petty feel of the title track.

The country undertones don’t become apparent until about four tracks in (More Than Wrong), and this business of “newgrass” doesn’t really show up until track six (Whisperin’ Wind). True, lead singer Joey McMonagle’s voice is quintessentially country-fied, and it serves the songs well, from the fiddle-laden anthem Sweet Susquehanna (bonus points for local/regional subject matter) to the riff-tastic ballad Stumble Along.

The CD offers clean, well-produced tracks with simple, catchy melodies that you won’t mind getting stuck in your head. It’s equal parts classic rock, southern rock, and some new roots rock hybrid all its own.

Part of Slimfit’s charm is their genre-defying versatility. The album is like a sampler of the aforementioned styles, and then some. What these songs have in common is that they invariably showcase these guys’ rock chops – they just play the shit out of the songs. My impression is that these are well-seasoned musicians who love what they do. And it just so happens, I love what they do, too.