| THE BORDER BAND/ ROUTLESS SEED/ THE BORDER BAND/ (***) These guys play a raw mix of rock, country, folk and blues. It's Melvin Litton who plays rhythm guitar, writes and sings most of the songs. His influences are Leadbelly, Jimmy Rodgers, Bob Dylan and The Band. The other guys are Roger Holden "The Razor)" is a wizard on lead guitar, Dave "Youngblood" Melody plays drums and Doc Nelson on bass. "The Border Band" got songs high-peaked and treasurous as the Rockies, low and craggy as the Grand Canyon, lonely and hunted as the Badlands, others rolling as a spring pasture in first bloom. These guys has a fresh sound with very well crafted songs, performed with passion. They know how to do it. |
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| SONGCATCHER/ SOUNDTRACK/ VANGUARD RECORDS (****) From Banjos and ballads to Hazel Dickens and Iris Dement. "Songcatcher" soundtrack traces the roots of American music from the Appalachia back country. Femal artists performing traditional folk ballads, as well as three original compositions by Dolly Parton, Patty Loveless and Julie Miller. Other appering on the soundtrack are Emmylou Rossom, Deana Carter, Allison Moorer, Gillian Welch, Sara Evens, Rosanna Cash, Maria McKee and Emmylou Harris. YES!!! all femal soundtracks. Beautiful acoustic music and most of the songs are heartfelt ballads about love, family, murder, feuds and war address everyday concerns of the people telling stories of hardship and hope, to lost love and family tragedy. One of the best soundtrack cd's I've heard in a long time. I can hardly waith to see the movie. |
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| ELEANORE McEVOY/ YOLA/ A MARKET SQUARE RECORD/ MSMSACD113/ (****) One of Ireland's most populair singer/songwriter these day's is Eleanore McEvoy. Well known from here big hit "Only A Womans Heart" from 1992. Eleanore explains what "Yola" means; "The journey brought us to South Wexford, a strange, flat, uncompromissing landscape of often high winds and driving rain, and sometimes, huge and beautiful skies. A land cutt off by ocean, sea and for centuries by culture so isolated for so long, that from the time of early invasion, it kept and developed its own dialect, a tangent of old and middle English mixed with anglicised Irish. This dialect, now extinct apart from a few words still use, was called YOLA". It's a beautiful album with songwriting of Eleanore that are allowed to fend for themselves with a musical but uncluttered background brought by the stylists playing of Liam Bradley on percussion, Eoghan O'Neil on bass and Brian Connor on piano. You've got to have this one |
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| BILLY ELI/ TRAILER PARK ANGEL/ DUSTY RECORDS/ DUSTCD 4/ (****) Billy Eli's first release "Something's going on" was released in 1993 and for me one of the best country-rock albums. It's unbelieveble that we didn't hear form this great guy for about 10 years. Thanks to Jan Andersseon from Dusty records Sweden, Who heard Billy Eli during South by Southwest 2000 in Austin Texas, Billy released his second CD "Trailer Park Angel". It's an album full of positive energy and spirit. With his raspy voice, and his rough and melodic country-rock songs he reminds us sometimes of Steve Earle. "Trailer Park Angel" is even stronger than his first one. One of the reasons is the great production, the beautiful, strong songs and singing of Billy. This is Billy on his best. |
| BIG WATER/ LOOK, LISTEN & FEEL/ FLOWER POWER RECORDS/ (****) It's original acoustic roots-folk music you can expect from this band "Big Water", running by singer/songwriter Robert Selvaggio, who's getting his first taste of performing in clubs and bars in 1987 while living in Germany. He began writing his songs in 1988, and still after all this years music is his life, faith, love and he's merely the vehicle of it's expression. Big Water has released his long coming first album in 2001 entitled "Look, Listen & Feel" on the Flower Power Records leabel. Together with his musical friends Woody, Anna, Bruce, Doug, Moly, Jack and Jeff, you can listen and feel the beauty of this beautiful acoustic roots-folk music. I can't hardly wait to hear Robert's second upcoming release late spring which promised to be purely acoustic, just his beautiful voice and his Martin guitar. |
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