Maurice Tani pulls no punches. The songs on CROWN utilize every tool in the 77 El Deora toolbox from the finest scalpel to the big hammer. From serious tales of broken hearts and tortured souls to the band’s trademark “Trailer Park Operettas” filled with bad break-up lines and smart mouth rejoinders. On this, their third album, singer-songwriter Tani spars with his long-time musical partner and muse Jenn Courtney, a larger than life presence whose luxurious voice can plant a kiss on the lips and a punch in the guts in the same breath.

Supported by a cast of over a dozen other musicians, Tani & Courtney crash out the gate fast with the perky “I Just Dodged a Bullet”, a tongue in cheek soon-to-be-ex-lovers duet, and then makes a hard left to showcase powerhouse Courtney's pleading, soulful wailing on “Push Me Away”.

Next up is a 2-song suite. Cruising “Radio City” Tani's sweet tenor plaintively describes the loneliness of a heart broken radio DJ. Driving weather worsens as we're deluged by the heart soaked strains of “Rain”; Courtney's feminine response to the whispered DJ plea of the previous track.

The pace picks up rapidly in the heavily twanged “Get Up!”, an upbeat paen to bar brawlers from the perspective of a retired boxer. Inspired by a true story from the desert “Dancing with Devils” slows the pace with Jenn Courtney's aching, haunting vocals evoking dry, swirling images of love forlorn.

“Shattered” is a counterpoint duet full of images of a fragile, broken soul. El Deora drifts quickly up the mountain pass with a dark reprise of “Fire on the Mountain” from the group's first album, "Sirens". Where the original was a hyper-kinetic bluegrass-inspired blast of secular gospel, this updated version is a hard thumpin', old-time mountain tune highlighting Tani’s genius lyrics.

If Steely Dan’s Fagen & Becker had been in The Eagles, they might have written “Green or Brown”, an examination of the challenges of small business and the strain to romantic relationships from working out of the home. In this particular case, the business happens to be illegal.

The only cover on Crown is a romantic duet version of Bruce Springsteen's poignant “County Fair”, combining the artful blending of Courtney's lilting, clear vocals and Tani's buoyant, controlled tonalities.

Powering down to the finish line “The Outside to the In” is a fun, toe-tapping musical romp punctuated by sophisticated lyrics about the vagaries of the war between the sexes.

“Crown's" engine purrs down to a stop with an encore track -an instrumental surprise; “Cowboy”. Guests David Phillips on steel and pianist Jim Pugh (Robert Cray Band) artfully mix elements of rock, jazz, and classical music with subtly added colors to create cinematic results.

The new for 2011 “The Crown & The Crow’s Confession,” from Maurice Tani, Jenn Courtney & 77 El Deora –luxurious, ironic, haunting. In showrooms January 1.

77 EL DEORA jangles some familiar nerves and scuffs up some new ground on their new studio recording, HAMMER & TONGS. Jenn Courtney, Maurice Tani, along with a dozen other musicians lay out the second installment of their unapologetically literate vision of country.

10 new songs from Tani, written specifically for Courtney's rich vocals and vivid persona. Dark, hyper-romantic ballads and bright, shiny, trailer-park operettas. Plus a pair of retooled masterworks, including an assertive redo of Leonard Cohen’s brooding Everybody Knows

Features performances from Jenn Courtney on vocal, Maurice Tani on guitar and vocals, Keith Bahjat on bass, Christopher Fisher on drums, Steve Kallai on fiddle, with extra support from Katie Guthorn and Kathy Kennedy (Elvin Bishop, Bonnie Raitt) on backing vocals, David Phillips (Tom Waits, Johnny Paycheck, Charlie Hunter) on steel guitars, Jim Pugh (Robert Cray, Chris Isaak) on piano, Trey Sabatelli (Tubes, Todd Rundgren) on drums, Steve Stanley and Armen Boyd on trumpet and baritone sax, Belle Monroe & her Brewglass Boys (Pam Brandon, Jordan Klein and Diana Greenberg) on vocals, banjo and fiddle, Catherine Foreman (Starlene), and Katy Rexford (Burning Embers) on fiddle.

On this debut release, Jenn Courtney displays her full repertoire of emotional punches. Alone or sparring in duets with songwriter Maurice Tani, she's alternately strong, vulnerable, sexy and funny. Her full and sensual vocals break hearts she'll never meet, and will be forever associated with the words 'restraining order'.

SIRENS, features 13 original tracks from Tani, tailored specifically for Courtney's vivid persona,and comes with a 12 page booklet with lyrics and photos. Features appearances from friends Dave Gleason (Dave Gleason's Wasted Days) on his B-bender Telecaster, Katie Guthorn & Kathy Kennedy (Elvin Bishop, Bonnie Raitt) on backing vocals, David Phillips (Tom Waits, Johnny Paycheck, Charlie Hunter) on steel guitars, Jim Pugh (Robert Cray, Chris Isaak) on piano and organ, Trey Sabatelli (Tubes, Todd Rundgren) on drums