At some point in time, Texas decided to always be an independent people, both in thought and in music. Of course, musically, the vastness of the state lends itself to multiple influences in its up-and-coming artists. There are more than a countable number of Texans who drive to the dancehall with a rock CD in the truck. Now comes 5 Mile, a band who can marry a rock sound with roadhouse rhythms as well as anyone. Cody Cotton is the band’s primary songwriter and his skills are sharp, penning such clever tunes as “Leave Me A Lone Star” on the band’s debut offering “KEEP ON RIDIN’.” Stewart Mann’s vocals are driven and familiar, belting out a myriad of styles shaped by years of mixing Molly Hatchet and Merle Haggard. This band has a lot on their side. Their youth and enthusiasm, coupled with excellent crowd-pleasing tunes, will certainly continue to catapult 5 Mile into the Texas music spotlight. The album is an easy listen and has several highlights. There’s an extended play hidden track, so it will take you 5 minutes to find out what “…got a job working on the railroad…” means, but it’s worth the wait.