The John Byrne Band - After The Wake

The John Byrne Band - After The Wake
2010, ri-ra Records

Dublin-born singer/songwriter John Byrne came to the US as a teenager. As a 1960's folk fan in his native Ireland, Byrne explored both the music of Bob Dylan and his influences, as well as delving deeper into the Celtic musical traditions of his upbringing. Dylan, Woody Guthrie and Ramblin' Jack Elliot all had major effects on Byrne as a music fan and burgeoning songwriter, as did the poly-melodic stylings of the band Planxty. Byrne is a co-founder of Celtic band Patrick's Head, a fan-favorite for their eight year run in the Northeast US. In February of 2010, John Byrne stepped out in another direction, combining his love of American folk and Celtic roots music with his new band. The John Byrne band's debut album, After The Wake shows off the distinctive voice and songwriting of Byrne as well as the supple and talented musicians he's surrounded himself with: Bassist Jaron Olevsky (Amos Lee); drummer Freddie Berman (Amos Lee); fiddler Sara Milonovich (Pete Seeger, The McKrells) and on guitar, banjo and production board Andrew Keenan among others.

After The Wake opens with "In Your Savior's Place", a musical dichotomy that's interesting for the conflict between what it sounds like and what it actually is. "In Your Savior's Place" is delivered in a pretty Americana arrangement full of strong vocal harmonies and top-notch instrumental work. In spite of the uplifting sounding chorus, it's a dark and angry song rife with jealousy. Byrne is gritty in the verses, fueling the impression of darker thoughts delivered in rosy terms. "It's A Gas That Makes You Laugh" continues the trend of upbeat, gritty tunes. The arrangement here is just outstanding; highly danceable in spite of the dark subject matter. It's a brilliant tune about suffocating (figuratively) in a place you never wanted to be but can't seem to leave. Byrne ruminates on life's status as a patchwork built from our history in "Various Verses", casting music and life as reflections of one another in metaphorical terms. This is offered in a gentle Celtic arrangement with a mournful feel; a great listen.

"A Song With No Words" is a subtle love song with a mournful feel. Flute serves as a haunting garnish, while Milonovich delivers the stark counter melody to Byrne's competent vocal. Byrne shows a story-teller's flair on "See You Then", detailing the loss of a friendship and offering advice about moving on. This is great songwriting, delivered with the aplomb of a master carver of tales. Byrne pays tribute to Bob Dylan on "Boys Forget The Whale", a delicious blues-flavored folk/rock romp that will be on repeat no matter what form your music player takes. At eight minutes the rapid fire prose of this song takes some listening stamina, but the song is brilliantly delivered and will keep listeners engaged from start to finish.

For all the quality that's come before, "Old Man's Disguise" may be the best pure songwriting on the album. It's not flashy or garish, but a quietly forceful musical recollection full of stirring imagery and palpable emotion. "The Ballad Of Martin Doyle" is a mournful ode to an Irish hero of World War I for the British Army who later served in the Irish Republican Army in its fight for independence. The song laments the loss of a homeland, and seems to regret the conflict of serving a country that has taken away his home. After The Wake closes with "Already Gone", a gorgeous and sad tune that's loaded with a pragmatic sense of destiny and many layers of meaning ("What's one more drink when you're already gone.") It's a brilliant closer, though provoking and full of heart while remaining ultimately tuneful.

John Byrne's After The Wake is the sort of album that an artist spends their entire career trying to create. Every once in a while someone actually manages to do it; mix splendid story-telling skills, top-notch musicianship, and a grand creative sense with just the right mix of songs. After The Wake is nothing short of a brilliant collection; either an album that is the benchmark for the rest of Byrne's creative life or the magical apex that he'll approach the rest of his life but never quite achieve again. If you only buy one new album this year, make sure that John Byrne's After The Wake is one of your considerations. After The Wake is a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The John Byrne Band at http://www.johnbyrneband.com/ or www.myspace.com/byrnemusic. After The Wake is available as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: Bill Bachmann - Big World Out There

Bill Bachmann - Big World Out There
2009, Flight Of The BumBillB Records
Then along came Bill, just an ordinary guy... might be the perfect epitaph for Bill Bachmann when the time comes. The quiet, unassuming singer/songwriter originally from Buffalo, NY is an affable everyman until he straps on a six-string, when he becomes a magician. The ironic part is that guitar might be Bachmann's second talent, as there are few in the Folk world or out of it who can tell a story with quite the same zest, wit and intelligence without compromising the inherent musicality of a song. Bachmann's recordings have been preserved by the Smithsonian, and he has been covered by folks such as Christine Lavin, Shawn Colvin and Lucy Kaplansky. Bachmann graduated from opening for acts such as Dave Van Ronk and Steve Goodman to being an active member of New York City's Greenwich Village folk scene, playing with artists such as Paul Siebel, David Massengill and George Gerdes and His All-Male Vegetarian Orchestra. Bachmann's latest effort, Big World Out There, is a master class in marrying storytelling to song craft.

Bachmann opens Big World Out There with the title track, a devotional to his calling that could easily be heard as a simile metaphor for humanity. Bachman discusses music with grace, injecting a touch of humor "Some (notes) have volume as their forte" here and there. Bachmann shows off some serious slide-guitar work on Just Shoot Me I Hate My Life I Wish I'd Never Been Born Blues. Dark humor and serious Blues chops mix here to create a virtuosic performance. If puns make you laugh (or at least groan in mild discomfort), Closet Closet will be a fun adventure. On Upstate Towns, Bachmann offers up a view of small town/suburban life that isn't really complimentary on its surface, but serves more a descriptive than defamatory purpose. The arrangement is dark and vaguely disturbing, like a painting that's slightly out-of-focus. This Band Was Your Band takes Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land and turns it into a Beatles tribute. There's a certain corniness here that will cause listeners to either immediately love or hate the song without a lot of middle ground. Bachmann fills the song with historical facts and viewpoints about the Beatles, sewn together with his trademark turns of phrase and puns.

Bachmann pays tribute to Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds on Reds That Cincinnati Came To see. The song is based on the melody from Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gave To Me and is quite entertaining, although it may fall a bit flat with folks who aren't baseball fans. Bachmann continues to impress with his guitar work. Vacation is something of an instant classic; a trip through the alphabet in song that has been preserved for the Smithsonian's Folk Archives. Vacation is inventive and fun, done in a talk-sing style complete with kazoo solo. A More Perfect Union was written on the night President Barack Obama was elected and is a tribute to that fact. The song is a paean to hopes and dreams realized and has a sweet melody

Fans of venues Towne Crier (Pawling, Massachusetts) or Caffe Lena (Saratoga Springs, New York) will have both a historical and musical interest in The Ballad Of Townes Van Crier and Pasqualina. Van Crier started was a patron of the arts, and Pasqualina Nagri, better known as Lena Spencer, ran Caffe Lena until her death in 1989. The song includes not-so-obscure references to the Kingston Trio and Don McLean, but is really something of an off-the-cuff tragedy told in humorous terms (ala Shakespeare).

Bachmann ratchets up the humor on Giant Can Of Paint, an entertaining Bluegrass romp that might be irresistible even if you're not much of a Bluegrass fan. It Won't Be Long takes on end of the world prophecies such as Armageddon and the Aztec end-of-world predictions for 2012. The song is written from the brink of the end of the world, referencing the Biblical prophecy of the drying up of the Euphrates river as a precursor to the final battle between God and Satan (Geopolitical concerns combined with drought have had the net effect of essentially drying up much of the Euphrates). The song is serious and slightly uncomfortable, abandoning Bachmann's sense of humor for a sobering moment. Bachmann is back to his usual high-jinx on This Song Is Called This Song Is Called, a Bluegrass barnburner that's a vicious tongue twister to boot. Bachmann winds down with One Great Date, a quirky love song that looks back over years together through the use of clever word play and probably an inside joke or two. It's a sweet love song that might be a bit too obscure (or specific if you're in the know) to be a Mix Tape pick, but certainly qualifies as one of the more romantic silly love songs I've heard in a while.

Bill Bachmann is a throwback, of sorts, mixing the storytelling and musicality of Woody and the mischievous nature of Arlo. There's a reason the Boston Phoenix once opined that Bachmann was "grossly under-recorded". Listen to Big World Out There and you'll understand the sentiment. Bachmann isn't a flashy performer, but he can hold a crowd in thrall with his down-home folksy wit and intelligence; not to mention a musical touch that's almost magical. Big World Out There got to us a bit late to be considered amongst our top albums of 2009, but don't be surprised if it inhabits a number of critic’s lists for last year.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Bill Bachmann at http://www.billbachmannmusic.com/. You can purchase Big World Out There as either a CD or Download from CDBaby.com.

Review: Doug Yeomans & Ben Doerfel - Generation Gap

Doug Yeomans & Ben Doerfel - Generation Gap
2009, Roots Music Records

Doug Yeomans is a Western, New York singer/songwriter and guitarist who can play almost anything with six strings on it. A renowned guitarist in Jazz, Rock, Blues and Bluegrass, Yeomans has one international guitar competition win under his belt and nearly 40 years of performance experience. Ben Doerfel is still in his middle teens and already picks a six string better than a host of people who have been doing it all their lives. The two team up on the wonderful collection entitled Generation Gap.

Generation Gap opens with Gold Rush, a classic fiddle tune that's done here with great texture and nuance. Yeomans and Doerfel trade runs with aplomb in a gentle game of one-upmanship where the only winner is the listener. Big Sciota is of a slightly gentler nature. This tune has been recorded by everyone from Jerry Douglas to Old Crow Medicine Show and is an old Bluegrass favorite. Yeomans and Doerfel show off a bit here, pulling off some fast and fancy fretwork in what might be the best technical recording on the disc. Up next is Wildwood Flower, a song written in 1860 by Joseph Philbrick Webster and made famous by The Carter Family. The tune itself was also used by Woody Guthrie for the verses of The Sinking Of The Reuben James. Yeomans And Doerfel treat Wildwood Flower with much deference, offering a soft and meandering reading that is a pleasure to listen to.

Shady Grove is another American Folk Song with roots in both Celtic and Bluegrass traditions. It's been recorded by a score of notable artists including Jerry Garcia and Dave Grisman, Bill Monroe, Patty Loveless and Crooked Still. Doug Yeomans provides the vocal line very capable, but the picking is where the real action is at. Yeomans and Doerfel push each other to new heights in a bit of inspired play. Yeomans breaks out the banjo on Salt Creek, while Doerfel handles guitar duties. The interplay of the two instruments here is magical. Yeomans also kicks in through the wonders of technology with a second guitar part. Louise finds the duo taking a break from serious picking for a sweet and mellow country song. Yeomans is in wonderful voice.

After that brief interlude, Yeomans and Doerfel are right back at it on Clinch Mountain Backstep, a case of musical finger calisthenics with a serious Bluegrass feel. The guitar work here is so good it will make you weep. Bill Cheatham is another Bluegrass standard that's been recorded by folks such as Doc Watson, Leo Kottke and Chet Atkins. Yeomans and Doerfel both earn their CGPs on this gem. St. Anne's Reel explores the Celtic roots of bluegrass with a gentle touch that makes for a highly pleasant listen. Cherokee Shuffle is a traditional tune popularized by Fairport Convention. This is a technically difficult song to play and the duo make it sound easy. Generation Gap concludes with an instrumental take on Amazing Grace that grows from a meandering, pensive opening to a bluesy run to a verse played in the ethereal harmonic tones of the string-tops before ending on a vaguely jazzy reading.

Doug Yeomans and Ben Doerfel pull of an amazing performance on Generation Gap, made all the more impressive by the fact that Doerfel was only fourteen at the time it was recorded. The market for this sort of guitar instrumental album is somewhat limited, but if you are a guitar player, or particularly if you're learning, this is an album you must own. Fiddle tunes are often forgotten by players once they've used them in lessons to master fretwork and fast-picking techniques, but Yeomans and Doerfel remind us of what a pleasure they can be to hear when done right.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Doug Yeomans at www.dougyeomans.com. You can learn more about Ben Doerfel at www.myspace.com/bdoerfel. I could locate no online outlet for Generation Gap, although if you contact Doug Yeomans through his website I’m sure he’ll be happy to sell you one.

Review: Sonic Bridge - American dReam

Sonic Bridge - American dReam
2009, Sonic Bridge

Sonic Bridge is a singer/songwriter from Massachusetts with a love for melody and an equal love for social commentary. The gift of music was imparted to Bridge from his father on the brink of deployment to Vietnam in 1969. His father taught him the chords to Home On The Range and asked that Bridge play the song for him on his return. It took the tragedy of September 11, 2001 to inspire Bridge to pick up a pen and begin to write; he hasn't stopped since. With influences running from 1960's Folk to Country to Pop Singer/Songwriters of the 1970's, Sonic Bridge has crafted a sound that is comfortable and familiar, and keeps it all fresh with lyrics that are topical, insightful and compelling. Bridge's debut album, American dReam, was released in September, 2009.

Celebrity Society is a humorous and scathing diatribe against the cult of personality that has replaced rational discourse in modern society. Bridge details the oncoming fall of Western Civilization as well as a sociologist, all wrapped in an infectious melody. Likewise, Weapons Of Mass Distraction takes to task all of the devices and gadgets that distract us from the things we should be paying attention to. Bridge uses driving as a real example, but the song has more universal applications than the obvious. The arrangement here is a sharp country setting that would play well to commercial Country radio but probably requires a bit too much thought for commercial success. Bridge makes light of humanity's taste for unusual cross-breeds of dogs in Doggie Style, pointing out that a generation ago the animals people pay thousands of dollars for now were called mutts and generally ended up in shelters.

Open Road Lament is a trucker song with a twist; it's all about reaching a stage where the call of home and love is more powerful than the call of the road. There's an introspective melancholy here; the narrator wants to get back home to where his love is. The melody and harmonies here are part of the aura of the song; and the arrangement is near-perfect. A True Patriot's Work Is Never Done contrasts the madness of a single individual with the madness of a social system that would award a dangerous man an adopted child. The song is a little too over-the-top to be anything but true. The hits keep coming on American dReam, where Bridge details how quickly affluence can turn to dust. The song is based on real happenings of The Great Recession, where the rich and powerful that caused the mess get richer while the common man and woman take the brunt of the consequences. American dReam is written in personal, autobiographical terms, even taking on the health insurance industry in the process. The song is one mass of disillusion with what had long been thought the greatest nation on Earth.

One Floor Taller is a call to rebuild the Twin Towers in New York City, using the tendency in American History to continue to fight and build. Bridge equates this American tenacity with a tribute to all who have died so that America would grow and survive. The song is a strong testimonial of patriotism and love for America and is very well written. Sonic Bridge offers up a bit of Mix Tape Magic with I Wait For You, a warm and poetic song of devotion that could end up as a wedding favorite if the word gets out. Same Sex Marriage gets a few chuckles by taking a different perspective on the entire issue. This is a great tune with a fun twist. Bridge even gets into the realm of global warming, with a fantastic story about one highly improbable consequence on The Polar Bear Giraffe. Bridge closes out with The World I've Been Waiting For, a musical moment in time that recounts the feeling of looking down on the world from the top of 10,000 foot peak. The sense of awe and magic for the narrator is palpable, as Bridge places the listener firmly in the narrator's moment.

Sonic Bridge plays with strong melodies and poetic words and do both well, but it's his ability to create a world or scenario around the listener that distinguishes him from other singer/songwriters. If you listen with your eyes closed, you might become convinced that you could simply open them and walk out into the worlds and moments that Bridge sings about on American dReam. The fact that many of his themes are universal helps, but Bridge has a singular ability to find that one detail in his lyrics that makes the moment real. This is not a gift that can be learned or taught. American dReam mixes serious social commentary, humor and fantastic songwriting to create a listening experience you won't soon forget. American dReam is magical; a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc. Don't miss out on this one!

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Sonic Bridge at http://www.sonicbridgemusic.com/, where you can purchase American dReam using the Nimbit application.

Review: Tad Dreis - The Reluctant Hook (and the day that it caught)

Tad Dreis - The Reluctant Hook (and the day that it caught)
2009, Tad Dreis

Tad Dreis comes from vibrant Chapel Hill, North Carolina music scene that helped launch bands such as Hootie & The Blowfish and Edwin McCain to national prominence. Writing and performing quirky Folk/Pop tunes can be a tricky game, but Dreis has a real knack for finding the perfect hook or turn of phrase. Comparisons to Robyn Hitchcock and Loudon Wainwright III as they might have sounded jamming with the Beatles are apropos. Dreis releases his third album, The Reluctant Hook (and the day that caught it) drops on September 11, 2009. With Dreis' wide touring and acclamations in the past few years (including a 2006 nomination from APCA as Best Solo Artist), The Reluctant Hook might just be the album that breaks things wide open for him.

Dreis is a singer-songwriter with a focus on traditional style story songs that occasionally stray into uncharted territory. A prime example is the opening track, The Makeup Company; a tune about an experience with a call center with supernatural powers and a penchant for showing off. It's an amusing tale that seems almost plausible based on past experience. Button For You is pure Americana, stylistically similar to Blue Rodeo or Wilco. It's a song about being so caught up in the day-to-day that you can't enjoy the things that really matter. This is primo songwriting. My Backstory is all about the perils of becoming well-known, particularly all of the "truths" that become public knowledge without ever being checked for accuracy. The arrangement and even Dreis' voice call to mind fleetingly Canadian quartet Moxy Fruvous.

Blues For Werner is a lovely tune about the more melancholy aspects of being a truck driver. It's a gentle arrangement full of affection that stands out because of its pure honesty. Very often in life our basic comforts revolve around the most simple of material items, be it a pair of comfy jeans, or a blanket (ala Linus from Peanuts). The Rug That Swore is the story of a boy and his carpet. Yes, it's a bit odd but so sweetly done you'll find yourself getting into it. It's a great tune. Three Forms Of Media explores all the methods for hooking up in a modern age (phone, eMail and hand-written notes), and how those methods can be used to push things awry when someone isn't playing fair. It's a humorous tune with a sudden twist at the close. Advice For Ladies highlights the advantages of a woman having a "humorous gay friend". It's an amusing tune with more than a little truth to it. Dreis closes out with I'll Be There and Pear Blossoms, both decent tunes but perhaps lacking a bit of the mischievous glint that pervades the rest of the album.

Tad Dreis is a stellar singer-songwriter who happens to have a mildly twisted sense of humor. His approach is a classic one, able to appeal to a broad spectrum of fans. Intelligent lyrics with wicked turns and strong melodies make The Reluctant Hook (and the day that it caught) an outstanding listen, even if it things tail off a bit at the end.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Tad Dreis at http://www.taddreis.com/ or www.myspace.com/taddreis. You can purchase The Reluctant Hook (and the day that it caught) as either a CD or download through CDBaby.com.

Review: Orion Walsh - Freedom Lost, Freedom Found

Orion Walsh - Freedom Lost, Freedom Found
2009, Orion Walsh

Lincoln, Nebraska based songwriter Orion Walsh comes back in August of 2009 with his sophomore solo release, an EP entitled Freedom Lost, Freedom Found. Readers may remember Walsh’s Tornado Lullabies, a highly personal and distinctive musical memoir we reviewed last year. Walsh continues in the same vein, albeit with a bit more of the polish of time on Freedom Lost, Freedom Found.

Freedom Lost, Freedom Found opens with Freedom Lost And Freedom Found, a high energy Americana/Folk/Rocker destined for the replay button many times over. Walsh's voice wends its way along the melody line in flawless fashion, although there's one note that's repeated a number of times that likely pushes the bounds of his range. Starkweather gives musical life to spree killer Charles Starkweather in engaging fashion. The form here is classic folk music and sounds like it could have easily come out of the 1960's. Football Town is all about growing up in a small town but having big dreams that can (perhaps) only be fulfilled elsewhere. The high energy of the arrangement juxtaposes against the melancholy feel of the lyrics. Run For The Hills finds Walsh slowing things down a bit with a polished rocker reminiscent of classic Neil Young. The theme here is global warming, and is based loosely on the sort of dire predictions that have become a calling card of that conversation. Walsh closes out with Journey To The Sea; a gorgeous song about two people in a relationship who want two different things: she wants more of him and he wants to figure out who he is. The arrangement here is a gem, and Walsh's vocals make the song.

Orion Walsh continues to write and record great music a little bit at a time. I have no doubt that over time he'll develop an impressive body of intelligent, well-written songs. Walsh is the sort of performer that other performers and songwriters respect, and Freedom Lost, Freedom Found will only enhance the reputation he's already earned.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Orion Walsh at www.myspace.com/orionwalsh or http://www.orionwalsh.com/. Freedom Lost, Freedom Found is due for an August, 2009 release.

Review: Willy Porter - How To Rob A Bank

Willy Porter - How To Rob A Bank
2009, Weasel Records

Willy Porter is one of those musicians who mostly avoided the pitfalls of pop success by refusing to play the marketing game and staying true the maverick nature of his muse. As a performer and songwriter, however, Porter is so talented that even refusing to go along with the mores of the moment he occasionally nails popular tastes to the wall and clips a chart or two. Porter's greatest adulation and respect have always come from fellow musicians; folks who really know and understand what it takes to craft the sort of elemental songs that make up Porter's catalog. Willy Porter's latest CD, How To Rob A Bank, is an intelligently stylistic album formed from the raw clay of Americana, Folk and Blues. You'll hear names like Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie brought up when talking about Willy Porter. The comparisons are apropos.

How To Rob A Bank opens with Learning The Language, a down-tempo Country/Folk tune about emotional maturity. The arrangement here is superb, matching a lyrical acumen that's distinctive ("Yeah I'm learnin', pain comes too quick and wisdom comes too slow"). Colored Lights has a very restrained feel to it, and the lush arrangement gives the whole song a very distant feel, like an experience through a looking glass. I Didn't Bring It Up is a song about starting over. The sense of movement in the song matches the sense of dislocation upon losing a long term relationship, yet the vocal harmonies solidify and ease the listener (and presumably the protagonist).

Hard Place extols the costs of war as scene across three generations. The chorus here is something of a dream-come-true, based in Blues and Folk. Wide Open Mind reminds me a bit of early work of The Black Crowes. Porter's creation is offered in a delicious Blues/Rock arrangement that will stick with you for days. Porter thoroughly outdoes himself on How To Rob A Bank. The song is topical, sounding like a blueprint for the Bernie Madoff scandal; Porter has crafted an intelligent and accessible diatribe against greed and human nature using wit, artistic tenor and a panache that would please fans of Arlo Guthrie. Similarly on Psychic Vampire, Porter captures the essence of someone we've all known at some point in our lives in song. How To Rob A Bank closes out with Barefoot Reel, a down-tempo tune with a melody you could buy a decent loft apartment in lower Manhattan with.

Willy Porter is a distinctive talent; an outsider so good and so true to who he is that the center gravitates toward him. How To Rob A Bank is Porter's best work to date. Expect How To Rob A Bank to dominate year end lists in critical circles, and garner Porter a lot of exposure along the way. This is a special album; a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc. Make sure you check it out.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Willy Porter at www.willyporter.com or www.myspace.com/willyporter. You can purchase a copy of How To Rob A Bank at Amazon.com, or download the album from iTunes.

Review: Merlin Snider - Right Here

Merlin Snider - Right Here
2009, Barking Dog Music

Merlin Snider is a craftsman. The California-based folk singer/songwriter has been compared to such musical luminaries as Woody Guthrie, Neil Young, Phil Ochs, Steve Goodman and John Prine. Making music at his own pace and in his own time, Snider follows up his 1999 debut, Between, with 2009's Right Here; infusing distinctive guitar work and minimalist approach into newly minted classic story songs that will have listeners on the edge of their seats.

Right Here opens with Santa Cruz, putting some of the western back into Country and Western. There's a real old time feel to this song that's part polish and part simplification. The First 25 Years is a classic story song about a man who descended into drink for the first twenty-five years of his marriage, only to be rescued by the love he so long neglected. Now the protagonist looks back laments all he has missed. Snider creates a character in song so real you expect to see him sitting next to you while you listen (ala Randy Newman). Insomnia is everything its name implies, discussing all the things that can get done in the middle of night, particularly catching up on those old Gilligan's Island reruns you missed out on.

Yellow Moon is strongly reminiscent of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. This dark country story song will stick with you in haunting fashion. Stuck In Ojai is a tragic comedy in song about how small town relationships can fall apart when one person moves to the big city and the other stays behind. The story here is humorous and well told (sung) in Snider's strong, clear country voice. Other highlights include Tall Trees, Molly's Got Her Red Dress On and Mama Don't Work Here.

Merlin Snider plays far enough out on the Country/Folk/Americana branch that commercial radio isn't likely to come calling soon, but he's about as fine a songwriter and story teller as you're likely to find. Right Here is a classic album; there are a few slow spots but on the whole there's little to dislike on Right Here. Make sure Merlin Snider makes it onto your "to listen to" list.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Merlin Snider at http://www.merlinsnider.com/. You can purchase a copy of Right Here at www.cdbaby.com/cd/merlinsnider or download the album from iTunes.

Review: John MacLean - Letters Home

John MacLean – Letters Home
2008, John MacLean

John MacLean finds inspiration for songwriting in his own life and experiences as well as from the world around him. The Baltimore native lives in New England with his family, and released his debut album in 2008, Letters Home. MacLean has a knack for intelligent lyrics and easy, down-home arrangements that seem like they walk write from the American Folk Songbook.

MacLean has the singer/songwriter aesthetic down pat, telling stories from that same comfortable perch as greats such as Woody Guthrie, James Taylor and even Dylan. MacLean wraps his stories in comfortable arrangements that are pleasant to listen to and seem to support the stories they purvey. Letters Home opens with Blind Willie McTell in a classic sounding folk arrangement with country and blues accoutrements. Still Waters has a classic country/folk feel to it with a lilting melody that will stick with you like oatmeal on a cold day. New American Way is an apropos song for difficult financial times. Focused on corporate greed and the divergence between rich and poor, the song tells an allegorical song of the stripping away of America's working class jobs and opportunities, complete with members of the corporate community who refuse to face up to their decisions. This issue has been addressed in song numerous times in the past twenty years, but rarely with so much grace.

Touch A Name On The Wall is a highly personal and poignant tribute to fallen Veterans of the Vietnam War from a Vet who came home. Scores of tributes exist, but MacLean's personal missive has more power than most. Add in a highly listenable country arrangement and you have a very special song, indeed. Liar's War (Letter Home) takes on the Iraq War in contrast to Vietnam, praising the soldiers and the fallen while denigrating the reasons for the conflict. Once again, MacLean has the standing to speak on these issues as a Veteran and the brother of a fallen Vet. MacLean indicts the motives of both the Nixon and Bush governments without ever mentioning their names or specifying charges. It's this subtlety that turns Liars War, and Letters Home in general, from a typical folk album into a masterful collection of songs. Other highlights include Beyond Our Time, Pancho And Lefty and First Met You.

John MacLean writes with a poignant pen, sliding his meaningful and weighty stories into songs crafted in gentle tones and pretty home style melodies. Letters Home didn't strike me the first time I listened to it. This is not an album you listen to casually. MacLean has put his heart and soul into each song, as if into a musical diary. If you aren't really listening then you'll never get the full sense of Letters Home, one of the finest original traditional folk albums of the past few years.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about John MacLean at http://www.johnmacleanmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/johnmacleanspace. You can purchase a copy of Letters Home at www.cdbaby.com/cd/johnmaclean.