| DAVE OLSON/ #80/ STUMBLE AND FALL RECORDS/ (****) Dave's music sounds like what it is-roots music with confused roots. Dave said; "I don't know if i have roots the way that some people do. It would simplify things if i could say that I was raised on Woody Guthrie, or on the music of the Delta, but the roots of my roots music is as much Steppenwolf as it is Mississippi John Hurt." Dave listen to the music like these of Greg Brown, Dave Moore and Bruce Springsteen. "#80" brings a beautiful mixure of country, blues, folk and pop tunes with polities, and matters of heart and highway songs. Dave is both a folksinger who knows how to rock out, and a rock star who knows when to quiet down. |
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| THE BOTTLE ROCKETS/ SONGS OF SAHM/ BLOODSHOT RECORDS 086/ (***) The Botle Rockets are from hmetown "Festus Missouri". This guys have been making some of the most incisive, hip and eclectic American music on the scene for the better part of a decade now. They show that on five recordings yet. On February 19 they will released there new recording "Song Of Sahm" wich refer to Doug Sahm of the well known band "Sir Douglas Quintet" and "Texas Tornados". The Rockets easily assume Sahm's mantle of versatility, infuse his songs with their singular brand of American soul, and get DOWN. The Bottle Rockets brings us 13-Doug Sahm ongs and put them in a new jacket, raise there own bad-ass freak flag and kick out the grooves. |
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| KORBY LENKER/ FIRST TAKES/ BLUE LIGHT RECORDS 200023/ (***) Korby Lenker is a great flatpickin' guitarist, who also plays mandolin, fiddle, and pennywihistle The music on his CD "First Takes" is mostly traditional, acoustic. Seven originals, two traditionals and one Louvin Brothers cover. Good Lyrics: songs like "Lacey in Chicago" and " Some Hallelujah" stay for a long time in your head. Korby is also a member of the bluegrass band "The Barbed Wire Cutters". |
| PAUL BRILL/ HALVE THE LIGHT/ SCARLET SHAME RECORDS/ (****) Paul is a singer/songwriter from New York. With "Half The Light" he brings a CD that contains elements of Folk, Country, Pop and Rock. "Maybelline", Bad Medicin night", Love Survives Us All" and the title track are four beautiful ballads with very nice pedal steel from Rick Morse. Throughout the CD you can hear mandoline, banjo, dobro, cello and violin. "Start It Again" and "Dry Ice" remind me of the Beatles. "Caroline" starts like an Irish folksong and becomes a mid-tempo song with lots of banjo, mandoline and violin. "Don't Say Maybe" sounds like another great New York band named "Tandy". |
| WOODY RUSSELL/ TIME TO GO/ CATS UP THE STREET MUSIC/ (****) Woody Russell is a respected performing songwriter whose musical style is often classified as "AMERICANA". He's often compared to Bruce Cockburn, Richard Thompson, Van Morrison and even Tom Waits with a more alt-country undertone. So what does thet sound like?? It's become Russell's trademark style built on his percussive, finger-style guitar picking. You will find a mixing of the blues, traditional country, bluegrass, jazz, rock and soul in his songs. Lyrically, the characters that he brings to life are both dark and light. Forgotten and victorious. Lovers and Heartbroken, Melancholy and Humorous. "Time To Go" is Russell's third album and offers 12 captivating new songs that do justice to his craft of songwriting. "THIS GUY DISERVES TO BE HEARD". |
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