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RYAN BINGHAM & THE DEAD HORSES
"ROADHOUSE SUN"
LOST HIGHWAY B0012739-02
PRODUCED BY MARC FORD
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CRAIG BICKHARDT
"BROTHER TO THE WIND"
STONE BARN CBCD 1003
PRODUCED BY JOHN MOCK & CRAIG BICKHARDT
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RODNEY CROWELL
"SEX & GASOLINE"
WORK SONG/YEP ROC
PRODUCED BY JOE HENRY
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1. Day Is Done
2. Dylan's Hard Rain
3. Tell My Mother I Miss Her So
4. Country Roads
5. Bluebird
6. Snake Eyes
7. Endless Ways
8. Change Is
9. Rollin Highway Blues
10. Hey Hey Murray
11. Roadhouse Blues
12. Wishing Well
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1. Life With The Sound Turned Down
2. Carrying A Dream
3. Brother To The Wind
4. Even A Cowboy Can Dream
5. A Day Well Spent
6. If He Came Back Again
7. This Old House
8. Lord Franklin
9. The Real Game
10. Donald And June
11. Prayers For You
12. Where In The World
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1. Sex And Gasoline
2. Moving Work Of Art
3. The Rise And Fall Of Intelligent Design
4. Truth Decay
5. I Want You
6. I've Done Everything
7. Who Do You Trust
8. The Night's Just Right
9. Funky And The Farm-boy
10. Forty Winters
11. Close To Heaven
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Ryan is in that area that is surrounded
by Americana, Country and Rock. His
voice is gravelly and in the area
inhabited by Kris Kristofferson and
John Prine. If you like that area of
music, then you will like this CD.
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A few months ago I reviewed a solo CD
By another SKB alumnus, Thom
Schuyler and said that he was a
national treasure. Everything I said vis
a vis Thom applies to Craig and this
marvellous CD. Hearing the songs
reminds that we now live for the most
part in a world of writing pygmies.
These are recording in which the song
is paramount, not the arrangement.
Craig has surrounded himself with a
slew of talented musicians including
Lloyd Maines, Andy Leftwich, Tim
O'Brien, Byron House, Kenny Vaughn,
Rusty Young, Janis Ian, Maura
O'Connell and Beth Nielson Chapman.
I particularly like Craig's adaptation of
the legendary John Renborn's
arrangement of the folk song, "Lord
Franklin" which features co-producer,
John Mock on bodhran, whistle and
harmonium. One of the joys of this CD
is to hear Craig's daughter, Aislinn,
harmonize with her father. She is a star
in the making. One of the finest CDs
this year.
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This CD was actually released in the
fall of 2008 but somehow didn't make
it's way onto my desk until now. It was
definitely my loss at not having it
before because like all of Rodney's
CDs, it is a gem. Perhaps not up to
:The Houston Kid" but that would be
difficult to emulate. I used to say of
Kristofferson's songs that once he had
established a benchmark in songs, he
would brings out an album which
rewrote the songwriting book. Rodney
is the same. Just listen to "Truth
Decay" and "I've Done Everything I
Can." I will also bet that there are a lot
of covers of "The Night's Just Right"
before long. Great CD and one
Rodney's best.
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ENTER THE HAGGIS
"GUTTER ANTHEMS"
UNITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY UFO 1017
PRODUCED, RECORDED AND MIXED BY TIM
ABRAHAM
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BAKER
"BAKER"
NO LABEL OR CAT#
PRODUCED BY ANDY ACKLAND
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SCOTT GETLIN
"STAND YOUR GROUND"
SCOTT FREE NO CAT #
PRODUCED BY MIKE NOBEL
PRODUCED AND RECORDED BY BUDDY KILLEN *
PRODUCED AND RECORDED BY PETER
COLEMAN **
PRODUCED AND RECORDED BY THE THREE
KINGS FOR NEW VOICE ENTERTAINMENT AND
SCOTT GETLIN ***
PRODUCED BY STEVE DUDAS AND SCOTT GETLIN
****
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1. Intro
2. The Litter And The Leaves
3. Cameos
4. DNA
5. Did You Call Me Albatross?
6. Noseworthy And Piercy
7. The Death Of Johnny Mooring
8. Suburban Plains
9. Real Life/Alibis
10. Murphy's Ashes
11. Sea Of Crutches
12. Bury My Demons
13. The Ghosts Of Calico
14. Lights And Cars
15. Broken Line
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1. Why I'm Leavin'
2. Your Mistakes
3. My Kinda' Girl
4. Rain
5. What's Going On
6. Ride
7. Left Out Of Nowhere
8. Last Saturday Night
9. Expectations
10. U
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1. Bang Bang
2. Without You In My Life
3. Cruel Torch **
4. This Town **
5. If You're Ever Gonna Love Me
6. Because I Pray
7. I Raise My Glass ***
8. I Can't Breathe
9. Street Fight **
10. The Girl That I See
11. Everything You Are ****
12. Demons At Bay
13. Baby You Got Heart
14. She Loves You *
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This Canadian group had me from the
Procul Harum-ish introduction. Their
music is a blend of Celtic, Rock and
Americana. The five guys in the group
are immensely talented musically and
you can look out for some fine fiddle
playing, mandolin and bagpipes! This
is an album that will return time and
again to my player. A revelation and
one for the ages.
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While there is nothing wrong with this
CD, there is nothing original. Baker,
who I assume is Charlie Baker, seems
to be influenced by a lot of acts both
from the West Coast and elsewhere.
Some cuts sound like Queen, some
like AC/DC, some like Chris Izaac but
at the end of it, I am no wiser who the
real Baker is. The production and
musicianship can't be faulted and the
songs are OK. Please let us know
which is really you.
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This is an OK CD without being ground
breaking. Musically, it holds up
especially on the Buddy Killen
produced lead-off cover of the Beatles,
"She Loves You." Scott is workmanlike
without giving that sparkle that one
associates with star in the making.
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BRYAN CLARK
"GOSSIP, INSPIRATION AND SLANDER"
RAINFEATHER NO CAT #
ACOUSTIC CD PRODUCED AND ENGINEERED BY
BRYAN CLARK
ELECTRIC CD PROUCED AND ENGINEERED BY
BRYAN CLARK
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LEVON HELM
"ELECTRIC DIRT"
DIN FARMER MUSIC/VANGUARD 79861-2
PRODUCED BY LARRY CAMPBELL
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BRAD COLERICK
"WHEN I'M GONE"
BACK 9 NO CAT #
PRODUCED BY BRAD COLERICK
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ACOUSTIC CD:
1. Angelyne
2. Midnight Kisses
3. Raven King
4. Blackberry Blossom
5. Nights Like These
6. Dom On The Saddlehorn
7. Kiss The Bride
8. Predictions Of You
9. Midnight And The Harvest Moon
ELECTRIC CD:
1. Angelyne
2. Bumper To Bumper
3. Down In Flames
4. Midnight Kisses
5. The Way It Is
6. Nights Like These
7. You Follow Me
8. Don't Blame Me
9. Yes It Is
10. All That Really Matters
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1. Tennessee Jed
2. Move Along Train
3. Growin' Trade
4. Golden Bird
5. Stuff You Gotta Watch
6. White Dove
7. Kingfish
8. You Can't Lose What You Never Had
9. When I Go AWay
10. Heaven's Pearls
11. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free
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1. Nashville
2. Will You Be There
3. This Time Around
4. Crazy For Hollywood
5. Leave It All Behind
6. Anisia Valentina
7. What's In Front Of Me
8. When I'm Gone
9. Red Rooster In The Mash Pile
10. Paper In Heaven
11. Anybody's Angel
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There is no denying that Bryan is a
very talented musician and a pretty
fine songwriter. This double package is
very adventurous but also from a
reviewers standpoint very confusing.
The acoustic disc is out and out
Bluegrass and very fine Bluegrass at
that. The Electric CD takes us on an
eclectic electric ride taking several
songs on the Acoustic CD and
reworking them. Both CDs are first rate
but having listened to both, I kept
asking the same question..."Will the
Real Bryan Clark stand up?"
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For many years, Levon Helm was
thought of the drummer and mandolin
player in The Band and then he
became known as the actor who
played Loretta Lynn's dad in "Coal
Miner's Daughter." Then he started to
become an almost iconic performer
and then came "Dirt Farmer" and he
became a star. The CD won a Grammy
and Levon went on to win big at the
Americana Awards. Now comes the
follow-up and if anything, it is even
better. Produced by multi
instrumentalist Larry Campbell, who is
Levon's right and left hand man, it
ranges across the entire gamut from
folk roots to Muddy Waters' blues. One
cut I particularly like is Randy
Newman's "Kingfish." I great CD and
my co-Album of the Month.
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This is a surprise but a really pleasant
one. Brad is a highly talented singer
and writer and this should be a major
album. In fact if you take John Denver,
Jim Croce and Tom Paxton, you will get
a handle on Brad's music. Even
though Brad is not on a major label, I
believe that Brad will pick up a cult
following. This is a must have CD.
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DEREK WEBB
"STOCKHOLM SYNDROME"
INO NO CAT #
NO PRODUCTION DETAILS
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ROBERT EARL KEEN
"THE ROSE HOTEL"
LOST HIGHWAY B0013332-02
PRODUCED BY LLOYD MAINES
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JOHN COWAN
"8,745 FEET - LIVE AT TELLURIDE"
E! KOC-CD-4766
PRODUCED BY ROVERT 'KOOSTER'; McALLISTER
CO-PRODUCED BY JOHN COWAN
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: PAUL EASTON
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1. Opening Credits
2. Black Eye
3. Cobra Con
4. Freddie, Please
5. The Spirit vs. The Kick Drum
6. The State
7. The Proverbial Gun
8. I Love/Hate You
9. Becoming A Slave
10. Jena & Jimmy
11. Heaven
12. What You Give Up To Get It
13. American Plag Umbrella
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1. The Rose Hotel
2. Flyin' Shoes
3. Throwin' Rocks
4. 10,000 Chinese Walk Into A Bar
5. Something I Do
6. The Man Behind The Drums
7. Goodbye Cleveland
8. Laughing River
9. On And On
10. Village Inn
11. Wireless In Heaven
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1. Mississippi Delta Time
2. High Above The Powerlines
3. Only The Night
4. Gotta Get Go
5. Singing To The Scarecrow
6. Four Days Of Rain
7. Wichita Way
8. Road To Silverton
9. Let's Make A Baby King
10. The Last Summer Rose
11. Dark As A Dungeon
12. Ain't Necessarily Love
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For the uninitiated, Stockholm
Syndrome is where a kidnap victim
starts to feel empathy with her/his
kidnapper. Patty Hearst was said to
suffer with Stockholm Syndrome. So I
am mystified what this CD had to do
with it. That apart, the album is very
stripped down and reminds me of
releases in the 70s. I gather it
supposed to be "political" but I guess I
missed it. Perhaps if I had had the lyric
sheets I might have got it.
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I have been a REK fan since he had Jr.
after his name. I have never known him
release a bad album and I doubt it will
ever happen. This CD is produced by
Lloyd Maines and is a work of art. Most
of the material was written or co-written
by Robert Earl with one notable
exception being Townes Van Zandt's
"Flyin' Shoes." My favorite cut is
without doubt "10,000 Chinese Walk
Into A Bar" on which he is joined by
Billy Bob Thornton. Greg Brown who
wrote "Laughing River" joins in on lead
vox on the track. This is excellent and
one that has me scratching my head
why Robert Earl Keen is not a major
star.
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I have always viewed John as the best
voice in Bluegrass and Americana.
Having had the pleasure of listening to
John sing a capella, I was hooked on
this CD before even hearing it. It is a
beautiful blend of original material and
covers of songs by Randy Handley,
Dennis Linde, Rick Roberts, Barbara
Lamb, Jesse Winchester and Merle
Travis. Among the stellar support
pickers are Bela Fleck, Kenny
Greenberg, Randy Kohrs, Barbara
Lamb, Darrell Scott and Scott Vestal. It
is impossible to select a favorite cut
because each is a mini classic.
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