As the title suggests this is an album built around the thoughts that have translated into songs while navigating seasonal nights. This is the seasoned songwriter sixth album and as such shows an artist who understands his craft and how to make his songs work in the studio. Here the production is handled by the equally studio smart Doug Lancio, who as expected plays some tasteful guitar throughout. Other players include two associated with Ryan Adams - drummer Brad Pemberton and bassist Billy Mercer. The band also features long-time band member Alisa Milner on fiddle and cello. Though there are comparisons to Adams, this album feels like it would appeal to Ray Lamontagne fans. There are touches of gospel, soul and blues mixed in with the roots undertow of alt-country, folk and rock. McFeron has a distinctive vocal with a natural nasal tone that that cuts through and is one of those voices that people either tend to love or hate. It is one that, here, works well in deliver his songs which range from the slow tempo of The Ballad Of Florentino Ariza with it's tasteful guitar to the more elevated opener Shine A Little Light a song talks of walking the late night streets and drinking the light of the moon while doing late night walking and wondering. The eternal issue of "why" permeates the album through songs like Hard Since You've Been Gone, Come And See Me Before You Go and You're Still On My Mind. A resolute spirit though is more apparent in I Ain't Dead Yet. Human nature though is grist to the songwriter's mill. Summer Nights though is definitely a grower and the music slowly revealing its strengths with each listen. The production and players given McFeron's songs the perfect soil from which they can grow. The thirteen songs here all strong enough to make the album work as a whole and even if overall the mood of the album remains similar throughout that works to underscore the theme and attitude. An album that is suitable for late-night walks or solo bouts of sympathy as well as for more populated performances.
Thomas Hine 'Into The Bottomlands' Self-Release
A low-key, lo-fi walk through the bottomlands that finds Hine a self-sufficient artist who has written and performed the 16 songs. Produced by Steven Hine the songs are quiet, inward looking and features a wide variety of instruments from just tin whistles on Sargasso Sea to On The Rivers guitars, organ, bass, drums and piano. Whatever Hine feels is right for the song is brought into play to give the song the support it needs. Some songs like the aforementioned Sargasso Sea are short interludes, in this case 16 seconds. Others top the four minuets mark but you don't feel the 52 minuets pass as you are taken into Hine's world and gentle songs. This is folk music for a reflection, down tempo travel songs. Traveling inwards and outwards to explore the possibilities of spaces. This music is pleasant and undemanding yet rewarding if you go with the flow of Hine's voice and songs. This is his third album he has developed his essentially solo music to encompass elements of Americana and folk that draw form elements of his Colorado location and in traveling from that place to places near and far. Because of its nature this is not music that going to come and get you, rather you have to go to it, meet it half way. Find some quiet time and listen but if you're not prepared to do that then it's likely that Thomas Hine will pass you by. But give it time and its endearing tone will sound more fulfilling and it's very nature and subtle interplay will bring you on its introspective journey. Go to www.myspace.com/thomashinelink for track samples, lyrics and information.
Reviews by Stephen Rapid
Jonny Burke 'Distance and Fortune' Self-Release
This compelling slice of roots rock has been put together by Burke and producer Marc Ford, who also worked with Ryan Bingham. Jonny Burke was formally a member of Austin based band The Dedringers but has decided to follow his own muse here. Distance and Fortune as a title relates to his travels and the things that happened to him on those ventures. The opening song Broke Again fairly tears it up with Burke and Ford on electric guitars and the solid rhythm section of Ronnie Johnson and Kory Cook pushing them along. Most of these songs deal with being on or off the road, they deal with movement both internal and external. Into The Autumn takes us through three states in a search for some kind of salvation. Fortune is tested on You Wear It So Well where "there was powders on the table, and police at the door". A song that looks at two people moving apart to different destinies. Things get more reflective on Little Girl Of The World before we go full tilt again on Cracka' Jack, a tale of takin' it to the edge. Fortune or rather misfortune is again the subject of Don't Let Me Fall wherein poet's and painters whose work never really makes it to the attention of the public fosters a sense of sadness on a low-key track that highlights Burke's nasal inflected life-worn voice. Quinceanera takes us into the heart of a Mexican family's mixed emotions. The album's lone cover of The Soft Boys Human Music perhaps sums up the approach to the music delivered here. But it is human music with a lower case "h" and it contemplates the frailties that are the trait of most of us. The album closes on the voice and guitar delivered song that acknowledges just how hard we can be on ourselves and how life can takes its toll but that hope does spring eternal despite the songs consideration of a "long steady decline". Jonny Burke has made an album that would likely appeal to Ryan Bingham fans with its rough scrabble roots-rock energy and moments of quieter contemplation that mark him out for good things to come and a solid debut solo offering.
The O's 'Between The Two' Idol
A duo from Dallas, Texas the O's are Taylor Young and John Pedigo who kick up a fuss with their direct banjo and guitar led songs. But to that they add all sorts of additional instruments from harmonica and kick drum to tambourine, lapsteel and lowebro. They sing together and their voices are central to this rhythm centric sound. They have been compared to the Avett Brothers and you can understand the link though the O's have a different overall sound there are some areas of common ground. Like a lot of duos the manage to compensate for the lack of other players by an innate understanding of where and what to play to fill the gaps. There's also plenty of attitude and energy on offer here on these mainly uptempo songs. They on songs like We Are Young they take a slightly less frantic approach to a song that tells us a little about their sensibilities. This music draws on a Americana stew that has hints of the past mixed with a timeless future. It has a internal charm and and an outgoing immediacy that kicks you in the pants to pay attention. They have enough variety in the pace and direction of the songs so that they don't end up sounding too samey while retaining an overall identity. They songs are largely about things that are relevant to their lives and to an ongoing understanding of relationships and hoe to "take it slow, down the road". This is the O's first album and they are doubtless a good live experience but it will be interesting to see how they develop their core sound in the future. But for now, between the two of them they have made a good start and they are continuing a tradition that they see as good "as the feeling they get from singing a Louvin Brothers tune at 4am". I can see how that might appeal.
Amy Lashley 'Travels Of A Homebody' Wanamaker
These songs are delivered with a quiet confidence and highlight Amy Lashley's observations and crystalline voice. Recorded with a simple quartet of players led by multi-instrumentalist Thomm Jutz and produced by singer/songwriter Otis Gibbs they give these songs all the space they need to tell their tales with a back-porch intimacy. As she says herself in Homebody Blues "all I want is simplicity". Her songs are observations of life and of events, as with Emmett Till which tells of the death, by lynching, of a 14 year old African American boy at the hands of white mob in 1955. An event that still resonates and also inspired a song on Emmylou Harris' new album. Amy Lashley apparently doesn't like to play live so we have this insight into her music instead and it serves her well. The songs are well written and tell their stories well from the aforementioned historical songs to the story of being from the wrong side of the street in Wrong Side Of Gallatin. There are elements of country blues and string bands in evidence here but it sounds very much from the here and now even of the constituent parts are timeless. Livin' On Beans On Cornbread has a kind of jauntiness and acceptance that makes it almost joyful. The album closes with Older Brother that again has the bedrock of Pat McInerney's unobtrusive but essential drumming underpinning it. All this makes this the album one that deserves repeated playing as you get to know its intimacy and heart. It brings you inside the hearth and heart of a homebody. Which in this case is a pretty good place to be.
Stacy Grubb 'Hurricane' Self-Release
The instrumentation here is a interesting mix acoustic and bluegrass with electric bass, guitar, piano and drums. Producer and arranger Ronnie Cochran has managed a balance between bluegrass and country that works very well. That Grubb has a voice that can carry this off is more than a bonus it is central to the music. She has also written the majority of the songs here and delivers them with a crystal clear conviction and a sense of vulnerability that makes her voice that bit special. Gary Dunham's song Appalachain Rain also adds a string quartet to good effect and shows that Grubb can stand tall next to the likes of Alison Krauss for adding to and pushing the boundaries of what might loosely be termed bluegrass music. A strong independent woman is portrayed in Violet Steele a woman who back in the day who lived in a cold, cold world and would "for your wallet would shoot you dead". There is a sense of time gone by in many of these songs that seems to give them an added depth such as her Alan Johnston co-write Time Hasn't Changed Anything. The assembled talent all play their part here and with players like Rob Ickes, Ron Block, Brent Mason and Aubrey Haynie you are bound to have high expectations. Expectations that are met throughout the album. Hard Row To Hoe has electric guitar and dobro blending well in a way that you don't get to hear too often with bluegrass purists resisting any such crossovers. But it works and makes for a rewarding and rich album for anyone interested in bluegrass music and how it may progress without actually becoming what might be termed "newgrass". The music here sounds more traditional with the winds of change blowing up a hurricane.
Josh Kelley Georgia Clay Humphead
Another big voiced good ol' boy who sings about what it is to be such a person. Given that Kelly has a solid voice that can express emotion on these set of mostly co-written songs. A Real Good Try has a nice background vocal from Ashley Monroe and some pleasant steel from Gary Morse. Elsewhere the songs take on a fuller sound. There are love songs like Baby Blue Eyes and Naleigh Moon, a song about his daughter that has some elegant dobro playing from Jerry Douglas to give it some texture to the low-key backing.Throughout producer Clint Largerberg plays some tasteful electric guitar and hold things in check so that the music here never overwhelms the songs or the singer.Though they can still deliver the full package on songs like Rainin' Whiskey and Great Idea. Though the album rocks out it doesn't fall into the trap of being too rock, southern or otherwise, rather than being, as it is, more obviously country, though you won't ever mistake this for a Dale Watson album. Josh Kelley has some soul in his voice, something that's brought to the fore on Learning You. Loss peppers Ain't Lettin' Go an uptempo song of a man recognizing his mistakes that have driven off his life partner. All delivered over a vibrant uptempo rocking beat. The album closes on a similar sense of love lost with Don't You Go, a big sounding ballad that again shows that Kelley can sing. Georgia Clay is an album that should find favour with those partial to the current crop of contemporary singers coming out of Music Radio. A lot will depend if country radio gets behind him and he get the exposure that an album like this, on a major label.
Lucy Angel 'Self-Title' GForce
A five track ep that is immersed in of a sense of pop glamour. This mother and two daughters trio are at the front end of the pop/rock combination that passes for country in some places. Nothing wrong with the singing or the songs rather it's the skewed notion that this owes something to what might be termed country music. Producer Anthony Smith co-writes three songs here. Colour Love Blue and I'd Be Lyin' are the closest the album comes to the genre with some pedal steel high in the mix and the trio's harmonies and lead vocals all shown to good effect, though the latter again soon hits the big sound after the mandolin and acoustic guitar intro. This has it's place and the trio, with the right breaks, might get wider recognition but it sure ain't what I would choose to call country.
Reviews by Stephen Rapid
Laura Cantrell 'Kitty Wells Dresses- Songs of the Queen of Country Music' Shoeshine
Humming By The Flowered Vine, Laura Cantrell's last album was on Matador records and it found her broadening her musical palette, a move that pleased some and was less well-received by a portion of her earlier fans. This new project grew from her being asked to do a show at the Country Music Hall of Fame (that was to co-incided with a Kitty Wells exhibition), where she had once worked as a tour guide, that led, in turn, to her making this album. And from the get go let's be clear it's an absolute cracker. A wonderful re-energizing of another artists work and life. That, apparently, some have objected to a alt-country singer doing it is baffling and slightly barmy. As with Eilen Jewell's recent Loretta Lynn tribute album this is likely to bring younger fans to the work of an important country icon. Clearly and precisely produced by Cantwell and recorded and mixed by Mark Nevers (Lampchop, Charlie Louvin) the performances are excellent throughout. The opening title track, the only original song, written by Cantwell and Amy Allison open the album in fine style and sets the tone for the remaining nine songs that were recorded by Wells and many were written by Wells' husband Johnnie Wright including Poison In Your Heart, I Can't Tell My Heart as well as her intriguing take on the Well's breakthrough classic answer song It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels. The players involved are all those who have a complete understanding of classic country music and have also made music that is contemporary and entirely relevant to today's audiences. For instance her duet with Chuck Mead on One By One is captivating on many levels and features some great evocative steel playing from Chris Scruggs. The rest of the players are all equally skillful and versed in knowing exactly how to deliver a country song today that will appeal to fans old and new (fin most cases). They include Fats Kaplin, Mike Bub and Paul Burch as well as Caitlin Rose on backing vocals amongst others. This album is a joy from start to finish with Cantrell delivering her best vocal performance to date and even if it is a side project for Cantrell shows just hoe much audiences respond to the spirit and sources of country music. One associated commented that if Emmylou Harris made such an album now, as she has in the past she may be getting better reviews than her new album seems to be. Be that as it may be, and even if Laura Cantrell herself goes in a completely different direction with her next album, we should applaud and purchase this striking and successful album. Were else will you hear a new artist doing a recitation, as she does, on I Gave My Wedding Dress Away? Enough said.
Matt The Electrician 'Animal Boy' Self-released
Matthew Sever aka Matt The Electrician is a intriguing artist who may roughly fall under the roots-singer/songwriter heading but who, in truth is an artist who will use and platform and musical bedding to makes his songs work in the way he hears them. He is a strong and accomplished singer with a distinctive voice, both as a singer and as a writer. He is a multi-instrumentalist who has gather some kindred spirits onboard for this album like Danny Malone, Mark Addison, Freedy Johnston and Southpaw Jones. Xylophones, banjolele, gym whistle, pump organ, trumpet and euphonium and ARP Axxe are just some of the sounds you will hear in the backing tracks. The songs are melodic and memorable and would appeal across the board on a lot of levels. They stand much repeated playing and reveal new nuances each time. They are full of observations and optimism, humour and humanity. Songs like Osaka In The Rain, College, Faithfully look at people and places with an equal sense of understanding and intelligence. These are songs which lyrically are unusual and who's themes are sometimes a different perspective of some universal subjects but given a very individual perspective that makes Matt The Electrician's music special. One song for instance, For Angela is the very detailed tale of his journey to North East Dallas to play a gig where on the journey he break down and then seeks a Wall-Mart store to fix his ailing battery. It is a heart warming and humours travel tale that perfectly shows Matt's invention if not eclectic instrumentation. You can check out a live version on YouTube yourselves. For that you need to go to a track like What's So Funny, or indeed pretty much anywhere amongst the album's 12 tracks. Matt The Electrician is well respected in his Austin home base and outside but may not have yet to come to the attention of some of our readers and while he may not fit the Americana bill that some adhere to but the music of Matt Sever live or on CD is pretty exceptional and this album is just the latest of many he has made. All of which are available from his site at www.matttheelectrician.com
Christopher Rees & Band 'Hearts On Fire' Red Eye Music
This album represents something of a new departure for Rees as he has recorded it with The South Austin Horns and he plunges headlong into his musical soul. The soul of Otis Redding that is. It is steeped in brass and Hammond organ while still having Rees' distinctive voice at it's core. Now what passes for soul music tends to leave me cold for the most part I'm still partial to a little, Redding, Pickett and Stax Record grooves. Hearts On Fire may not appeal to purists, much as many bluegrass and country paramilitaries may have found Rees previous albums a little left of field for their tastes. Be that as it may be Christopher Rees is writer, producer and mixer as well as label boss on this outing and he has worked on this album in both Austin and Welsh studios. It is an spirited set of songs that covers a range of bases from the rampant rockabilly/rock 'n' roll of In Warm By My Fire, which links with Rees previous work. Stripped down to a simple live setting many of these songs would fit easily beside his previous songs. Here he adds that layers of well arranged brass riffs to give the songs extra propulsion and soul. Morning Light is delivered at a slower pace that give Rees room to let his voice the space to deliver a telling and troubled tale of optimist love. The songs still show a troubled soul but this time out they're allied to tingling soul tremors. The slower paced songs the ones, as mentioned where Rees vocal take on the spectre of soul's golden age. Overall I think by preference is for Rees de-horned work but this is still a substantial achievement in that he has been able to add another flavour that reflects his love of classic soul to an already open ended musical base. A song like Unstoppable which was recorded as a trio with Rees on guitars and bass, Dan Tilbury on drums and Simon Rooney still retains the overall feel but in a brass free way that shows the musical variety on offer on Hearts On Fire. It will be interesting to see where Christopher Rees takes his music in the future but here he has delivered an album that many will enjoy for its own sake and within the parameters that it has set itself.
Michael Fracasso 'Saint Monday' Little Fuji
The latest album from Austin based singer/songwriter will have be welcomed by those who have appreciated his songs and distinctive voice in the past. The album is produced by Fracasso and his friend Jim Lewis, novelist and first time producer. As it turned out they've done a fine job together with Lewis also playing guitar and piano on the album as well as co-authoring the title track and two other songs on this ten track album that is built around Fracasso's trustful tenor voice on of the strongest instruments on the album. The other players are a tight unit of drummer Mark Patterson and bassist George Reiff, On ADA Ok, a joyful sounding, downbeat themed but uptempo track, Fracasso is joined on the vocals by Patty Griffin to good effect. Elsewhere Fracasso uses his words well to tell tales of lives up but more often downs. Fellow Austinite Matt The Electrician joins in on one track playing a short but effective trumpet solo over the outro. One track that is picking up attention is his expressive cover of John Lennon's Working Class Hero that is highly effective and emotionally fraught in it's tense delivery and wired guitar interjections. While not taking away from Fracasso's own strong writing it's a strong take on a very visible song. By way of contrast the album closes with a vocal and piano song that is sparse by comparison with earlier songs but equally capable of getting across to the listener. Saint Monday is another example of crafted songs and capable playing from a another gifted songwriter who is flying under the radar and who need s to be sought out and appreciated by fans of know something special when they hear it.
The Grascals & Friends 'Country Classics with a Bluegrass Spin' Cracker Barrel
The subtitle says it all. A selection of classics recorded with a host of friends. Brad Paisley joins for Tiger By The Tail. A man well used to that mix is Dierks Bentley who sings Folsom Prison Blues with The Grascals to good effect.It would also, doubtless, have also have pleased it's author too. From then on it's guests all the way with two vocals from Dolly Parton on I Am Strong and Pain Of Lovin' You. The former songs also appears as a bonus track with a whole bunch of the guests (and more) joining in the chorus. She fits right in with the bands three vocalist who either trade verses with or provide harmonies for the guests where appropriate. Tom T. Hall sings his own The Year That Clayton Delaney Died. Darryl Worley takes on George Jones' White Lightening. They give the song a little power though they never get rude or rough enough to take away from the overall sense of fun or of having a good time that this album dispenses. Playing is naturally never less that top notch with a host of additional players like Steve Turner on drums, Hargus "Pig" Robbins on piano, Kent Wells on electric guitar and Steve Hinson on steel guitar making sure that the music successfully straddles country and bluegrass. Both get an equal spin and should please all but the harshest critics of the genres. Nothing is going to push any envelopes here but it is a thoroughly effervescent outing for all involved. The other guests are Joe Nichols, Charlie Daniels and The Oak Ridge Boys. The whole project is St. Jude Children's research Hospital. So here you have it a whole bunch of easy going music for a good cause that hits the mainstream with ease. You may have to go online to pick up a copy of this nicely packaged CD outside of Cracker Barrel outlets though.
The Foghorn Trio 'Sud de la Louisiane' Quicksilver
Their website tells us that they play "ass kickin' redneck stringband music" and that's a pretty good description of the music this trio play. It's accomplished, lively and lived-in. A mix of original and songs from The Carter Family, Kitty Wells and Doc Watson amongst others all sung with a passion that takes it beyond the notion of mere pastiche. It draws from a deep well but comes out fresh due to the fact that the trio of Caleb Kaulder, Stephen Lind and Nadine Landry have an obvious love for and skill in playing this essential raw and stripped down music. There are a mix of instrumentals and songs that feature the vocals of all three, who between them play some 8 instruments. The title cut has an obvious cajun swing feel with Landry taking the lead on the fiddle let song sung in French. Kitty Wells' I Don't Claim To Be An Angel comes through a time tunnel that could have seen it recorded decades ago, again Landry takes the lead vocal on this tale of loving the right/wrong man. Kaulder's two originals fit beside the outside material easily. His mandolin instrumental Puttin' Up The Wood is fast and shows the bands playing skills. There may be nothing here that those with a strong affinity with stringband music haven't heard before but equally there's little to complain about with such a sense of commitment on display. These songs speak down the ages and address issues that are as timeless as the music even if outside of specialist venues or radio programmes you unlikely to come across The Foghorn Trio unless your seeking it. If authentic sounding stringband music, likely filtered trough a punk rock background at some point, is something you enjoy then you can check them out at foghornstringband.com and listen yourselves.
Reviews by Steve Rapid
Dickie Lee Erwin 'Swan' High Plain
A Texan who has been around the music business a long time Dickie Lee Erwin is a part of the Texas songwriter tradition playing songs that come from his heart and from his day to day experiences and situations that he can see all around. The album opens with I Remember That a song that still sees soldiers heading out from train depots to oversees wars. It highlights Erwin's warm and natural voice and his equally lived-in and lived with songs. The musicians who play on the album serve these songs well and mention should be made of Gary Newcomb's guitars, acoustic, electric and steel which sit above his relaxed rhythm section to give these songs depth and movement. Moving On is a song that shows that how words can cut deep and unresolved resentments can lead to a person moving on rather than facing such problems. Warm Summer Night takes on a more funky groove with Erwin's banjo and Richard Somers mandolin playing on top in the instrumental Barnyard Stomp. Warm Summer Night is the sort of song that one could easily see as a part of a Willie Nelson album. Dickie Lee Erwin is the chief songwriter here with a couple of co-writers involved on two tracks but he has rung the changes here to bring different perspectives to the music so that it has more than one perspective to the musical direction. He has the voice to do that to give each vocal the right sense of the songs underlying story. I'm So Glad's understated acoustic tone is very different from the tale of how a man went from riches to ruin in Time Alone or from croon of Stranger In Blue. Dickie Lee Erwin is a versatile musician who brings his personality into his music which makes it a worthy addition to those names of Texas musicians who may not be that well known outside if as select circle but sure should be.
Tom Mason 'The Blue Buccaneer' Gas Station
Subtitled Songs Inspired by the Golden Age of Pirates and topical with the success of the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise this sets of songs makes a companion set of songs to those found on Rogues' Gallery, the multi-artist compilation double CD. On Tom's last album Alchemy he had a track called Pirate Song and here he expands that theme into a full album of what I assume are self written songs though it's not clear from the album notes who wrote what. But either way this is simply a great album from start to finish even if you might thing that the theme is a limited one. The album does, without a doubt, stay true to it's course with lyrics, melodies and a buccaneering spirit ensconced in that aforementioned golden age but it's all done with panache and style. Above all it's a joyous album in the same way that the Pogues music is with its sense of community and the living of life to the full. Tom Mason is a very talented player well able to turn his skills to several styles of music at the drop of a hat (or bandana). Here he plays guitar, mandolin, accordion, trombone, dobro and banjo as well as delivering assured and accomplished lead vocals. He is joined on the vocal front by numerous friends including Peter Cooper, Eric Brace, Mark Miller, Pru Clearwater and longtime companion Phil Lee. The Nashville musician pool also delivers such renowned players as bassist Lorne Rall and drummer Paul Griffith as a dexterous rhythm section to underpin these songs with a solid foundation. But the over-riding sense here is a contemporary album that is a much fun as it is musically compelling. Tom Mason has made an album is a worthy credit to his talent as an all round music and entertainer. That's the right word as this is an entertaining album that made me smile and made me want to listen to it again. By its nature it draws on several cliches but it surpasses any doubts with its sheer vitality and modern day pirate spirit.
Zoe Muth & The Lost High Rollers 'Starlight Hotel' Signature Sounds
A singer/songwriter who plays country music pretty much straight down the line with her band. She is singer, acoustic guitar players, writer and co-producer of this fine album. Muth has a voice that is distinctive and memorable with the right degree of emotion that makes it believable in the context of these songs sense of heartbreak and relationship breakdown. The Lost High Rollers deliver the goods too with a solid rhythm section from Greg Nies and Mike McDermott and a mandolin used as both a rhythm and lead instrument played by Ethan Lawton along side the electric guitar, dobro and steel of Dave Harmonson. There the occasional use of trumpet to add a little texture to the mix but it's Muth songs and voice that are the focal point of this their latest album. They play their music as an irony free tribute to the classic country music from the past but without resorting to a pastiche of an earlier era's sound. They do it with ability and heart that gives the music its core value. If I Can't Trust You With A Quarter (How Can I Trust You With My Heart) has that classic wordplay that has all but been expunged from country radio pop-orientated concerns these days. But that's just one song among a whole bunch of good songs that makes Starlight Hotel a real pleasure to listen and return to. It's full of pedal steel and mandolin embellishments that give the music its context, from ballads like Tired Worker's Song to the uptempo dance floor energy of Come Inside or the loneliness that haunts those staying in the Starlight Hotel. An album that will appeal to those who like the country straight, neat and delivered direct to and from the heart.