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Various Bluegrass, Blues and
Jazz Albums
Reviews By Steven Stone
Honeywagon
Songs From Neverland
If you like Michael Jackson AND Bluegrass so, you're gonna be in hog heaven when you hear Bryan Clark's latest musical mash-up. Honeywagon, Clark's studio trio, is primarily acoustic. From the opening riff of "Beat It" to the final chorus of "Thriller" Honeywagon's renditions let you fully appreciate that Jackson wrote great songs that translate well to other genres.
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BARB
BARB
Imagine the Buzzcocks meets Morphine. Take 60's funk licks and channel them through a bunch of post-modernist musicians including Liam Finn, Lawrence Arabia, Eliza Jane Barnes, ConnanMockasin, and Seamus Ebbs and you get some weird music. The disembodied vocals remind me of Brain Eno's early work with Roxy Music. The sonics are ear-candy quality with more special effects than a Jerry Bruckheimer film.
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Steven L. Smith
Outside of Tupelo
This CD full of original songs showcases Smith's rural Adirondack musical sensibilities. In his music you can hear the influences of The Band's style of American Gothic coupled with early country and rock. But just like the guitars that Smith builds, his music combines traditional influences with his own personal vision to make music for the future.
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Southpaw Bluegrass Band
Place Back Home
I didn't realize that Nebraska was such a hotbed of bluegrass till I heard the Southpaw Bluegrass Band's latest CD. On Place Back Home you'll hear 22 examples of the band's original and infectious brand of high-spirited bluegrass. On instrumentals such as "92 West" Southpaw Bluegrass Band demonstrates their technical proficiency, while "Love Letters" reveals their clever lyrics. Go 'Huskers.
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