RECOMMENDED

Combine punk and country? Dude, can’t be done! Those are just two diametrically opposed genres—it’s like mixing oil and water, right? Well, Memphis sextet Lucero set off to prove me wrong back in 2001, and the results were pretty solid—a seamless blend of alt-country’s riffs with punk-rock’s sloppy guitar and scratchy vocals. Nowadays, Lucero has cleaned up and refined its sound, as the band’s newest, “1372 Overton Park,” reflects an act that has evolved over six albums and is now a suspicious duplicate of The Hold Steady (if Craig Finn had a pretty rough cold). But there are worse things to emulate than a band that emulates Bruce Springsteen, and Lucero should still appeal to anyone who gets off on loud, rambunctious horns section and a lot of tattoos. Plus, I think we’re all suckers for songs drenched in organs, trombones and whiskey anyway. (Andy Seifert)

October 24 at Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake, (312)929-2022, at 8pm. $16.