Grand Champeen / Two Cow Garage

For those who fear that Midwest roustabout rock & roll (à la the Replacements at their least emo-refashioned) is kaput, take heed: Two of the better li'l Tims out there will be throwing a hootenanny tonight. Columbus, Ohio's Two Cow Garage takes gruff vocals to four-pack-a-day heights on its latest, Three. While the band shares the cheap-beer brio of the current Columbus scene, its alt-country ear for amp tones finds it backing out of the garage. And while Grand Champeen might be from Texas, its heart resides on a pop-punk beach somewhere (while the band members' respective livers have soaked up the 'Mats back catalog). Dial T for This offers some attempts at sopping up spilled Pabst with somewhat cleaner production.