DownTown Mystic  is Robert Allen on vocals and lead guitar, acoustic, electric 12-string, and piano, Steve Holley on drums and percussion, Paul Page on bass, Bruce Engler harmony and slide guitar, and finally, Lance Doss on guitar, mandolin, lap steel, baritone guitar, and banjo.  Their new CD, Standing Still, is one of the finest collections to come my way in quite some time.  It is a compilation of thirteen original songs, all of which were written by Mr. Allen save for one, “Backdoor”, which was co-written by Mr. Allen and G.T. Sullivan.

You will hear the obvious inspirations.  The veteran band POCO came to mind on several tracks, but especially on track 4, “Standing Still”.  I would call it more if a tribute to the band.  They certainly have a Jim Messina sound to them as well.  Therefore, their claim of being influenced by bands such as the fore mentioned band POCO, along with bands such as The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones, is an accurate statement.

On “Standing Still” Mr. Allen’s vocals are outstanding as it is on most tracks.  He has a wide range and is able to bring life to his songs.  The harmonies are perfect as well. You can feel the emotion they are emitting from their tunes.  This is the true test of a good song; when a tune penetrates into your soul, generating chills, then you know you have just heard something great.

Likely my favorite song on the album is “Too Many Times”.  It is another song that will remind you of POCO and Buffalo Springfield, sonically pleasing and sporting phenomenal lyrics.  Mr. Allen’s lead guitar is impeccable as is the band’s rhythm section.  Again, the harmonies are there to bring the song together and compliment Mr. Allen’s expertly performed lead vocals.

The very next track is “Rise and Fall” bringing its familiarity with it but with a flair all its own. Allen’s extremely organic vocal tone fits his music to a tee making it all so very listenable.  I believe he could sing whatever came his way, whether it is blues, country, folk, or pop.  In fact, he accomplishes just that on nearly every track on this exceptionally superb CD.

Track 10 is “History”, a very cool little tune paying tribute to Rock ‘N Roll. If I’m not mistaking, I’m nearly positive I hear a little Keith Richards along with a smidgen of Chuck Berry to top it all off.  It is definitely a floor stomper.

Closing the record, “Shade of White Bluegrass” is certainly rock ‘n roll, but played with a hint of zydeco.  The electric mandolin adds a flavor to the song that will cause the listener to think of The Grateful Dead and the late-great Jerry Garcia.  It was truly a fastidious way to wrap the whole thing up, leaving me to do just one thing; listen to the entire CD again.

So much of today’s music sounds so canned with nothing to set it apart from anything else. This is not the case with Robert Allen and DownTown Mystic, as every song is expertly written, performed, and produced, enticing the listener into anxiousness for the next track.

I just returned from a badly needed sabbatical, in a location where there was no music, no cell phones, and no computers.  It was incredibly uplifting to open the inconspicuous white envelope containing this album, placing it in my player and then hear these astonishingly first-rate sounds escape from my speakers.  It’s revitalizing to know there is still talent out there that is not afraid to take something a little familiar and mold it into their own creation.  That is precisely what Mr. Allen has done with this brilliantly conceived piece of musical art. I truly loved it!

Review by Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames DowntownMystic, Standing Still

It isn’t often I hear music that so inspires and moves me as did Earl J. Rivard, III’s Underground Railroad. This young man is absolutely one of the most exciting new talents I have heard since I started listening to music.  Period!   His voice is as smooth as silk and he sings with pure passion.

Underground Railroad begins with the title cut.  A tinny voice spoken via bullhorn –

“Warning: The following song will offend some ears.  Skip it, if you must.  The real obscenity is the United States government breaking up families as a matter of policy”

Then, in Spanish –

¿Como vas a quitarle una madre a su hijo?/¿Como vas a decirle que se tiene que ir?/Loca es la cultura que confunde estas cosas/Loca esta cultura, lo hay que decir

Translation –

How are you going to take a mother from her child?/How are you going to tell her that she has to go?/Crazy is the culture that confuses these things /Crazy this culture, it must be said.

These are some very intense, gut-wrenching lyrics to say the least.

As it turns out, Mr. Rivard graduated from Cal Berkley with a degree in Ethnic Studies in 2001, so this is a subject matter the man is very close to and extremely knowledgeable.  He sings the song with a great deal of passion.  From the first note, I was transported to locales such as El Salvador or Guatemala, where these words are the harsh reality for many mothers who have lost their children after being displaced by our government who espouses “family values” every election year.   This tune is a great positive that is born of a brutal negative; bringing awareness to a subject most people would rather bury their heads in the sand and pretend it doesn’t happen.  Not Mr. Rivard though. He is calling these villains out and does it eloquently with one of the greatest weapons ever developed, music.

On the third track, “Coldest Place” Mr. Rivard goes from political activist to blues man.

It wasn’t always this way/I remember when you used to say/That you wanted me beside you to fire you/But the flames have all died down/This is the coldest place in town/And I really don’t know how long I can stay.” These are some great blues lyrics beautifully sung by Rivard.  By the third track, he has established he can do folk music, romantic ballads, and blues, plus he has set the pace for the record.  The entire album is well balanced throughout.  Every musician on the record compliments one another and absolutely comes together as one very tightly regulated band.

This sensational collection of musicians has Lance Riley on drums, Dave Lionelli on bass guitar, Timothy Drury pounds the ivories on “Till I Met You” and “Yours Eternally”, and Max Cowan plays keyboards on the rest of the album.  Mike Wynar plays lead guitar and is outstanding.  BZ Lewis plays lead on “The Sun Finally Rose” and helps on percussion along with collaborating on string and flute arrangements.  Of course, we know about the lead vocals, but Mr. Rivard also plays rhythm guitar and was the other part of the puzzle on the string and flute arrangements.  If that were not enough, he and his Father, Earl Rivard, Jr. either wrote or co-wrote all thirteen songs on this unbelievable record.

Further, Rivard has what has to be one of the most vibrant and most perfect voices I have heard in decades.  What makes his voice so perfect?  It’s the power that thrusts it from deep down, forced upward from his diaphragm, echoing through his throat and out of his mouth as if it were amplified.  I absolutely could listen to this man sing all day and I’m almost positive I would never tire of listening to him.  One could never grow tired of hearing these incredibly natural sounds.  His range is wide and the voice never seems strained no matter what he is singing.

All told with his vocals, band, and exceptional songs, Earl J. Rivard, III is an outstanding artist who has created one of the best albums of the year in Underground Railroad.

Review by Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames Earl J. Rivard, Underground Railroad

In Chicago-land, it’s unlikely you will find someone who is not at least familiar with MHB. It’s probably because this wonderful band from “The Windy City” literally has something to offer just about anyone.

MHB’s debut album, “Sparks Are Going to Fly” begins with “Someone Like You”, wonderfully sung by Matthew Henry Baron (the band’s namesake).  His voice at first reminded me of The Clash’s Joe Strummer, but that comparison was only at first glance.  This tune is a catchy little reggae-inspired song that will have you grooving no matter who you are or what you like to listen too.  Overall, it’s a very enjoyable piece of music and a great way to start this series of twelve original songs, all written by front man, lead singer and guitarist, Matthew Henry Baron.

Track two is “I Better” and continues with the heavy emphasis on reggae but with a little extra “funk” thrown in for good measure. Mr. Baron proves himself to be quite the lyricist here as well with some very upbeat lyrics.

“I’m gonna fly, I’m gonna soar beyond this world many think is a bore/ You see it’s fine; it’s all good, no need to fret the small stuff even though you could/It’s plain to see, what’s been goin’ on/ I got the eyes of the devil, the wits of James Bond/ I better chill; I better ease my mind…quiet the sounds take my sweet ass time”

I really liked this song a lot but was a bit afraid the entire record was going to be reggae at this point. I have to say, personally, I tire of the reggae beat about halfway through an album. For me, reggae is just isn’t what I enjoy listening to for a full-length record. As it turned out, that was not going to be the case at all.

Track three is a very soulful “Get On”. This song is all rhythm and blues and is a great dance tune, guaranteed to get everyone up on the dance floor moving and grooving to the beat. The horn section is spectacular and is comprised of Eric Koppa on tenor and soprano sax, Steve Kelly on Tenor sax, and Johnny Showtime on trombone. They help to take the tune to an exhilarating pace. Jim Croke has a wonderful guitar solo here that really jazzes things up and adds an abundance of flavor to the song.

Track four is “Blanket of Leather” and is the reason for that comparison to The Spin Doctors. It really reminded me of something from their “Pocket Full of Kryptonite” record, and added more versatility to an already extremely versatile record.

Track five is the very funky and sexy “Inside”. The metaphors here leave very little room for doubt as to the nature of the song.

“Oooh she flies high above the moonlight/I can feel her and man does she feel right/Gliding soaring, dipping through my galaxy/Will I melt the bars to her, we’ll just have to wait and see/I’m climbing mountains/Rising up step by step/Running on top of the trees/Cause inside of you , is me”

Could someone please get me a fire extinguisher – this song is hotter than a 3-dollar pistol! Even though it may be the simplest of songs on this record, it takes the record to higher level of maturity through the heavy usage of metaphors. It is eloquently performed by MHB, this time consisting of Mr. Baron on vocals and guitars, James T. Bromley on bass, Daryl Coutts on Hammond B3, Rob van Daal on drums, and Michael Whalen on shakers and tambourine.

Skipping down to track eleven something different happens. “She’s Down” is about as close to a negative view of a relationship as you will find on this record. It’s a cool little roots Rock ‘n Roll tune and is probably my favorite tune on the record. It’s a song about two people not being able to get on the same page.

“Hey I’m up, well I’m up/ She is down/Yeah I’m up, I’m up/She is down/Well I’m going up, I’m up/She is down”

I think we all get the picture here, but what I really loved about this particular tune was the nearly “honky-tonk” style piano played by Daryl Coutts. It made an otherwise simple tune, interesting and took the tune in a much different direction, showing a good bit of flexibility to the band.

MHB is a very tight band that I believe if the quality and level of songwriting is maintained, that they could get very big very fast. Even though comparisons were made to other bands here, by the time I got to the end of the record it became apparent, MHB with Matthew Henry Baron at the helm, has their very own sound and there was little doubt for me as to who they are.

Review by Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames MHB, Sparks Are Going To Fly

Whiskey Six is comprised of Chris Strickler on vocals and guitar, Jake Dalton (AKA – Mongo) on lead guitar, Raf Garcia on bass, and Matt Indes on the drums.  They appropriately got their name, or maybe inappropriately is a better word, when the band was only a trio, each possessing two testicles. Each member of the band also possesses a weighty admiration with things pertaining to whiskey, mostly the drinking of it.  They added Matt Indes on drums and realized they had a problem with their name, but thus far have remained Whiskey Six.  I suspect Whiskey Six has a much better ring to it than does Whiskey Eight. Six will always be a superior number to eight when it comes to the name of a hardcore rock band.

In one interview the band was asked, “Are you any good?”  Matt Indes replied, “When we’re drinking we think we sound great.  When the audience is drinking we sound even better”.  Let me tell you something boys; I haven’t had a drink in nearly eighteen years and I think you sound fantastic.

This amazingly well crafted set of three songs begins with “Your Disease”.  The listener is lured in to the tune with a Resonator that starts the whole thing off at a deceivingly slow pace, closely followed by Mongo’s gift for playing extraordinarily superior lead guitar, taking the listener to the next, much faster phase of the tune.  “Your Disease” possesses a heavy dose of attitude.  Why wouldn’t it?  First off, the title has the word “disease” in it.  It should be illegal in the rock world to use the word disease without an enormous quantity of attitude.  Attitude certainly resides here, and then some.

The second track is “Seven Headed”, a raucously heavy-handed indulgence for the lover of hard southern rock music.  Chris Strickler’s vocals are perfect.  The rhythm section is right on, and Mongo’s lead guitar is right there in all its glory, doing what it is designed to do: lead the way without overwhelming the tune.  It’s a perfect blend that comes together to form a piece of rock ‘n roll art.

Finally,  “Heavy Metal Doom Machine” wraps it all up.  My guess is that this is the band’s anthem, if they were to have one.  It’s a tune with complete attitude, and I don’t mean a good attitude.  I mean bad attitude.  You know what I mean – rebellious, unruly, defiant, disobedient!  Again, Mr. Strickler’s vocals are right on target as is Mongo on lead guitar.  If my ears were not deceiving me, I’d say I hear a Resonator in the background as well, complimenting it all.  This adds depth to the tune and, I believe, takes it far beyond other songs of this genre.

As Jake Dalton (Mongo) said in one interview, “Both Chris (Strickler) and I listen to a lot of the great blues guitarists, R L. Burnside, Rory Gallagher – guitarists that had a stripped down, raw edge to their music.  We wanted to bring that energy into what we do.”  Congratulations gentlemen, you have succeeded here!

Other current musicians heavily influence most rock or pop bands today.  In many cases, this can cause them to become somewhat two-dimensional.  Bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Yardbirds, along with other bands from the 60’s and early 70’s were influenced significantly by blues legends.  It’s what made them great and gave them longevity.  It would appear that Whiskey Six has adopted this practice from some of these other successful predecessors.  With that in mind, and if Whiskey Six doesn’t lose sight of who they are, we should be hearing a lot more from this great band in the future.

Review by Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames Whiskey Six

When I listened to this record for the very first time and Danie Syre chimed in on the first track, “Something Real”, I immediately thought of Margo Timmins from one of my favorite Canadian bands, Cowboy Junkies, with a hint of twang. Ms. Syre’s voice is as smooth as freshly laundered flannel sheets. I say flannel because flannel is warm and comfortable especially when it’s freshly laundered. This record is very warm and comfortable in the end, but first it takes the listener through an array of emotions, mostly surrounding abandonment and broken relationships.

For instance, the title cut “Time for the Truth”, written after the break-up of her fourteen-year marriage, is a song about love and eventually the evaporation of the love, which once brought the two of them together. She sings the song with an enormous amount of emotion. She articulates every word in such a manner you know she truly means what she is singing. “And its time for the truth/This time I’ve nothin’ to lose/And its time for the truth/And this time I’ve been waitin’ for you” It’s not a hateful song really. It’s more about closure and eventually about being able to move on with her life, which she has apparently done, as evidenced by the release of this set of eleven original tunes.

Track five on this record is a tune called “Rose”. Ms. Syre didn’t know her mother very well and, in fact, had been raised almost exclusively by her father. Later on there were twelve years where Danie and her mother did not speak at all. In 2008 when she heard the news that her estranged mother had passed away, “Rose” was born. It’s a song full of questions that we always wanted to ask but never had the chance. Now the answers to the questions are all gone and there is no possible way to retrieve them. Therefore, she has been left to develop her own answers, which will eventually lead her to forgiveness and ultimately healing. “What were you running for/Who were you running against/I just don’t know/Would you say it was all left to fate/Or was it a script of a role you had to play/If I had written our story/I’d be sure to  make it happy/I would have written it that way. “Rose” is a beautiful song and is performed to perfection. The wailing of the pedal steel guitar, beautifully played by Nathan Carroll, resides in the background eloquently representing the tears that go with the song.

The tunes on this record were conjured up with a large dose of heart, pain, suffering, and eventually fond memories (“Campfire Song”) with a dash of comedy (“Simple Fool”) that brings us some relief from the pain.

In her bio, she tells of her father being the biggest influence in her life in many ways, but especially in the evolution of her musical journey. He was a guitarist and there would be many a day where friends and family would come over. They would sit and play together for hours. Many of these friends and family members were excellent musicians themselves, so her almost constant exposure to the arts helped her to form into the talented musician she is today. The material for her first record, The Journey, released in 2007, came to her while caring for her ailing father, to whom she dedicated the album.

When her father passed, Ms. Syre was left with his Martin guitar he loved so much. This inspired her to write “Martin”, a cool little blues song written out of the love and adoration she possessed for her father and his guitar. Even though the song is called “Martin”, I’m not sure her father didn’t play a huge role in the creation of this song, which by the way, happens to be my favorite tune on the record with “Simple Fool” a close second.

Ms. Syre wrote all the songs on this record plus sang and played guitar. In addition, she was accompanied by a small army of musicians; Nathan Carroll played lead, acoustic, and pedal steel guitars, Darcy Johnstone played bass, Joey McIntyre on drums, Jason Kodie on the piano, accordion, and the Hammond, Shannon Johnson on violin, Scott Peters on the mandolin, Chris Wynters on guitar, Krispian Smidt-Paborn on harmonica, and Kjierstin Hubka sang background vocals.

This record is quite dramatic in many ways, born from many different emotions. The death of her father, the estrangement and eventual death of her mother, the end of her own marriage, all of which has come together to create the vision she would need to write the material for this sophomore effort. The emotions that went into the creation of the material transcend into her performance as well.

Danie Syre is certainly an artist I will keep my ear very close to the ground for, listening for more to come. If she can keep writing material as strong as the eleven songs on this record, she should have a very bright future ahead.

Review by Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames Danie Syre, Time for the Truth

David Robert King hails from Boise, Idaho and in my opinion is someone we all need to pay very close attention to.  His EP Take Me Home is comprised of five very well-crafted tunes that obviously come from the very heart and soul of this young artist.

As I have stated in many reviews of americana and/or roots music over the years, for the music to be successful it must come from the heart and soul. If it doesn’t, it fails. By successful, I don’t mean it has to sell a million copies. It simply means the artist has to be satisfied with his work. After compiling these five tunes, Mr. King should be very satisfied.

He begins the EP with a strange little love ballad called “Strange Freedom”. I get it though. “There’s a strange freedom in knowing//The one that you love doesn’t love you back”. True statement. It’s the not knowing that holds you prisoner and will drive you insane. At the very least, the knowledge of not having reciprocal love frees us, eventually enabling us to move on to the next heartbreak, or whatever else lies ahead.

Next up is the title cut for the EP, “Take Me Home”. It’s a painful, yet well-crafted tune about sleepless nights and tormented days of lost love, broken hearts, and striving to get back to where you were prior to the broken heart, but the receiver of said love is not on the same page. The confusion, the pain, the hope, the disappointments; it’s all present in this fine tune. “My head is spinning and my hearts a mess/Take me home/But in the meantime/Leave me alone”

The final cut on the EP is very cool tune called “As Closed”. The gentle picking of the banjo, accompanied by piano and organ all compliment each other, gracefully building as we move along through the song, intertwining beautifully with the lyrics. “As closed as my eyes seem/I can tell you’re right there with me/And I’ll hold on to you/Even when the whole world shakes/The world will just have to wait/You’re all I can see/You made everything different/You made everything beautiful.”

Where previous tunes on the record have been about confusion, hopelessness, and wounded hearts, this song is a sharp contrast, bringing the listener messages of hope and the beauty of love found, along with the joy it can bring to us. It is absolutely my favorite song on the EP and was a great way to end this superb treasure. The music here is big, very big. I would be quite amazed if we do not hear a lot more from this exceptional new artist. I could honestly relate to every single tune on the EP.

David Robert King is a very talented singer/songwriter and I truly enjoyed listening to and writing about his fastidiously sensitive music. I definitely will look forward to hearing more from him in the future.

Review by Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames David Robert King, Take Me Home

There is no telling what you will hear coming out of the worlds greatest city. There is just so much, it can be incredibly overwhelming.

I had been anxiously awaiting this EP, not because I had ever heard of the band, but it was rapidly approaching deadline time, yet I had received nothing to review. Then, alas, in the mail today was the uninspiring brown envelope with the music I had been sitting on pins and needles, earnestly awaiting.

I knew time was of an essence so I ran to my laptop, and inserted the CD. I was, immediately and utterly blown away by what was coming through my headphones and penetrating the right side of my brain.

I review a lot of music and currently I am completely buried in a mountain of CD’s and digital downloads, which I need to listen too and decide on the ones I will review. Hawk and Dove is as good as anything I have buried in that mountain of music. They are as good and in some cases, even better than just about anything in that pile, and believe me, there are some great artists there.

One thing I watch for or more appropriately in this case, listen for in a new band, is what is different about the performance. What makes them stand out? With Hawk and Dove, I can think of several things. Their compositions for one thing, there are only four tunes here, but they are a very potent four.

The melodies are sonically powerful and the individual performances are even stronger, but the one thing that truly defines Hawk and Dove would have to be Elijah Miller’s vocals. He possesses a raspy voice that reminded me of Tom Waits played at a slightly higher RPM than 33 1/3. He also wrote the strange and wonderful lyrics to these four tracks.

Rachel Lyons beautifully plays the violin and on the song “Stain”, she aids in creating a haunting atmosphere to the tune. I listened to it early this morning and the sound of it has been following me around, echoing in my head all day long. The lyrics are wonderful and are a bit on the strange side –

We’ve been boiling frogs,

Just to see if it’s true.

And we watched to make sure

That there like me and you

They just sit there and don’t

Seem to mind what we do.

Strange indeed, to say the least, but it adds to the uniqueness of this wonderful new band.

The guitar played by John Kleber is slightly distorted and lies in the background. His instrument is meant to inspire and compliment Miller’s vocals and he succeeds here. Ms. Lyon’s expertise on the violin, and Mr. Kleber’s guitar, besides being quite good, also understands where he is supposed to reside within each composition; everything collides to make this a wonderful listening experience.

The rhythm section is comprised of Stephanie Sanders on bass and session musician Dave Butler on drums. They expertly pave the way for the rest of the band, binding everything together in a tightly cohesive comportment.

I look forward to hearing and seeing more from Hawk and Dove in the future. Hearing music like this forces me into a dilemma; do I stay here, deep in the heart of Texas, or do I pack up all of my belongings and my family and get our posteriors up to NYC where it seems everything is happening.

 Reviewed By Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames Hawk and Dove, Rocking Chair

Big Blue Spruce is a trio from Philly P.A. consisting of Paul Miller on guitar and vocals, Dan Park on drums and vocals, and Will Morieschi on bass and vocals, pleasantly surprised me with a sampler of their music. I call it a sampler because it only consisted of three songs.

I didn’t realize this when I first inserted the CD into the CD player in my car on Saturday when I was on my way to Fredericksburg to watch some high school basketball. I only mention this because, as it turns out this was some really amazing “road” music. Then all of a sudden the fourth tune on the record played and I thought to myself; this seems familiar.

The fourth track was, in reality, the first song repeating itself. This is how I realized there were only three songs on the record. Oh well.

However, the good news for Big Blue Spruce is I wanted to hear more. They achieved a goal that should be the goal of every recording artist. That goal is leaving the listener hungry for more. Mission accomplished. Now go forth and record more music!

The first song on this little sampler is a very mellow tune called “All Away”. It begins with a very cool jazzy intro that is sonically pleasing to the ear and is sure to get your foot tapping and your head nodding. The song pulls you in immediately and captivates you with they three part harmony. There is most definitely chemistry within this trio and when you listen to them it becomes quite obvious they were meant to sing and play music together. The arrangement itself is really quite simple but they manage to make it sound more complicated than it truly is. Will Moreschi wows us as with a very nice bass solo about half way through the tune.

Next on the record is “Show Your Face”. This tune is more about the vocals than anything else. “Oh my God/Show your face/take control of this faith/Sorry It’s not what you wanted/I don’t know what you believe/Your trust is the door that you open for me/maybe I should believe/Oh my God/Show your face”. Again a very simple song in arrangements but they accomplish making it seem more complex, driving the song with some very strong vocals.

Lastly, and my favorite song on the record is “When It Dies”. You have the rhythm guitar leading the way then all three chime in with their three part harmony that goes so well with the song. They slow it down a bit on this track which enables them to create a jamming little tune I liked a lot. Of the three songs showcased here, this one is driven primarily by the bands ability to harmonize and please the sense of hearing with their arrangement of the vocals. The first thought I had when I heard this trio harmonize together was POCO or maybe Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. They really are that good. Those references can not be ignored. Finally Mr. Miller ties it all together with a fine guitar solo that really shines a spotlight on his talent as a guitar player.

Mr. Miller on guitar and Mr. Moreschi on the bass guitar do a fine job and have moments where they showcase their talents on their respected instruments.  Mr. Park binds them all together on drums. As mentioned previously when I talked about the vocals they reminded me of some great vocally driven bands but sonically I was reminded of the Atlanta Rhythm Section. They have that mellow, kind of laid back rock ‘n roll sound to them. Only it’s all updated to their very own era with their very own touch.

This sampler seems to be expertly showcased in its production values produced by Dan Park. All it needs is more; as in more material. Perhaps they have it, but if they do, they need to throw down some more tracks. In my opinion, this neat little trio needs to get busy writing more songs for us to enjoy.  They’re certainly off to a good start.

Reviewed By Rod Ames

CD Review Writers, Rod Ames Big Blue Spruce, The Seed

At first glance Mercuryhat had a very fresh sound to it. But upon closer inspection, the result of listening to the first full track, Hovercraft, it sounded as if the band was more REM than Mercuryhat. I liked it, but I could not escape the idea I was listening to someone who sounded like someone else. It would have been different if they were covering one of REM’s tunes but this was not the case. It’s okay to be influenced by a band. Hell, The Beatles were influenced by Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, and Buddy Holly. However, they were able to create their own identity. I do not believe anyone would or could argue that point.

The third cut on the record is Hurricane Tree. This tune fares much better than its predecessor, and is a finely written, well constructed song about someone trying to escape the pain they have been through following a broken relationship. The softly picked lead guitar played by Steve Wilt, adds to the melancholy mood of the song. Even though the song is about the pain of a broken relationship, it does not dwell on doom and gloom. Instead, it focuses on hope, as the words continue repeating in the chorus, “But I keep on holding on”. Towards the end of the tune it takes off in an entirely different direction presenting the listener with a very trippy sound evoked in the electronically enhanced lyrics, “I could have used you as a friend/I could have loved you better then/I could have used as a friend and could have loved you better then”, leaving us with a feeling of reflection and remorse at some of the things the storyteller could have done differently to have made the damaged relationship a better one. But it’s all too late.

On Memo To Self the band had at last achieved their individuality. This is the song I was waiting for. It possessed all of the influences of the musicians they stated in their bio had influenced them, but it was all their own. Mercuryhat, with Memo To Self, have found who they are. Eric Ott’s vocals were amazing and Steve Wilt again adds his obvious expertise to the song with his blues sounding guitar. Towards the end of the tune the band completely abandons the soft approach experienced in the first two-thirds of the song, and let loose with some rocking guitar riffs lead in by some impressive bass guitar playing. It all comes together and propels us to an amazing crescendo that will leave you astounded at what you just heard.  On this particular tune the band excels to the level I had come to expect from them after reading their bio. Finally, I believe we had what Mercuryhat should be.

Overall, I would say this is a decent record. There are actually glimpses of pure genius. Steve Wilt’s guitar is masterful on songs such as Barrington, Memo To Self, and others, but I believe the band as a whole, needs to discover who they truly are. Do they want to sound like someone else or do they want to be influenced? There is a difference and I believe they are very close to discovering what that difference is.

Reviewed By Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames Blinding Blues, Mercuryhat, Stinging Bees

Town That Time Forgot is the latest album from Terry Penney that takes the listener on a trip through time.  It has a very down home feel that few, except for the likes of Billy Joe Shaver, Kris Kristofferson, Townes Van Zandt, and Steve Earle, have been able to accomplish. He is indeed in great company.

The crickets are chirping. You can hear the rolling thunder and hounds barking in the distance. Then, all of sudden, you hear someone running, their feet hitting the dirt hard. At this point we are led into the tune with dobro and its sliding licks. It’s official; we have been introduced to A Place to Hide, the very first track on Terry Penney’s new record, Town That Time Forgot (Bulldog Records).

The song is what Folk or Americana genres are supposed to be about. There is a story involved, and you must pay attention to the lyrics. This is a trait missing in most mainstream music today. Penney captures this from the very first few lyrics – I’m Bones and loneliness, I been gone so long/Locked up in a prison cell for someone else’s wrong. Then in the chorus – So turn around girl it’s me standing ‘neath your back door light. You can hear the desperation in the song. He’s running away from the law but can’t stay away from the one person who believes in his innocence, which is sure to result in his capture or worse. He mentions prison, apple pie, and even Hank Williams. The song is right on target and doesn’t miss a beat.

The very next tune is the title cut, Town That Time Forgot. Terry Penney intones how things once were but connects it directly to today’s world – Where a dollar and the dirt roads stretch for miles/and the stars have yet to fall from the sky. I’m almost certain that folks in the larger metropolitan areas don’t even look up to see the stars anymore. They’ve all been swallowed up but the big city lights; and hell, you can’t even find anything at the “Dollar Store” for a dollar anymore. Penney takes us to a place where you can still see the stars and dirt roads are still in existence. It’s a song of great nostalgia and has a texture to it we don’t get to experience very much anymore.

The Fifth track on the record is Benny Brown. It’s a progressive bluegrass tune and is one of the best tracks on the record. It tells the story of a young man going off to fight in WWI, the war to end all wars, and as so many of these songs do; it ends in tragedy. It’s a song of valor and pays tribute to our heroes who have been sent off to war to fight and pay with there lives, the ultimate sacrifice. The arrangement is very traditional and complete with banjo, mandolin, and fiddle.

The final cut is Plan B. It’s a simple little tune, cut from a more traditional country vein. Everything about this song is simple, which is precisely why I loved it so much. The lyrics are something we all can probably relate with to some degree – I lay it all down and walk through the gate/another twelve hours punched at a job that I hate/I drive away into the night, just another day in my life. The chorus raps it all up into a nice neat little package – Hey, Lord throw me a line/I’m sinking down her can’t you see?/The preacher says hold fast boy this is God’s plan/No offence Lord, But I’d love to see Plan B. Certainly, these are thoughts we have all had at on time, I know I have. But it’s also about his faith. No matter how bad things get, he never gives up on his God.  He just wants to know if there is another plan. It captures the true essence of the working class hero.

Mr. Penney is accompanied on the record by Glenn Simmons on acoustic, electric guitars, and background vocals. Glenn Parsons plays bass.  Dean Stairs plays the piano, organ, acoustic guitar and bass. Fab Tranzer plays the mandolin and dobro.  Jody Hale is on the fiddle, mandolin and banjo, and Tommy Detamore plays the pedal steel.

This is a top notch recording produced by Terry Penney. He wrote or co-wrote all of the tunes. The production values were consistently professional through out the record resulting in a very rich listening experience.

 I suspect we will be hearing much from this great young artist in the very near future. I will certainly have my ear close to the earth listening for him, because that is where music such as Terry Penney’s comes from. It seems to grow up to us from the rich dark soil that lies underneath our feet, and connects with us in a very natural, earthy way.

Reviewed By Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames Terry Penney, Time That Town Forgot