Gaston Light - Peel

Gaston Light – Peel
2011, Idol Records

Dallas-born and based (by way of Los Angeles) Gaston Lightbrings a musical melting pot on his debut album, Peel.  Born Jason Corcoran,Gaston Light blends a musical melting pot of roots rock, country, soul, bluesand folk, while showing a surprising lyrically subtlety for a twenty-two yearold singer/songwriter.

Peel opens inprovocative fashion with “Athens, TX”, giving the account of a murder in thefirst person from the one who got away with it. The song is not as disturbing as it probably should be.  “Morning Fog” has a melancholy, sing-song airthat is aurally appealing, even if the vocal line is a bit flatenergy-wise.  The arrangement is nicelystructured, and the guitar work lends a full sound to the composition.  “Kiss The Hive” is intriguing; Gaston Lightuses an angular guitar sound to create an unsettled dynamic.  It’s unclear whether this is intentional, butit almost sounds as if he’s on to something sonically.  “In A Casket” shines from the middle of thealbum; it’s a great tune, albeit with an unusual premise.  It’s a catchy, roots rock number with someimpressive pedal steel work going on in the background, and light gives asurprising vocal turn that’s one of the highlights of the album.

Gaston Light works his way through numbers such as “HalfAwake”, “Close Your Good Eye” and “Crown”, while finding small moments in thecatchy fun of “Xanax Blues” and the sappy/sweet “I’ll Wait For You (Please WaitFor Me)”.  Light’s voice is pleasant tolisten to, but there is a passive quality to his vocal style that can beinterpreted as a real lack of energy or conviction.  It may just be Light mindfully working aroundhis own vocal limitations, but if so, it challenges him to raise the energylevel in the vocal lines in order to stay connected with listeners.  Musically, Peel is above average.  Lightshows a penchant for unusual sounds and construction while staying married totraditional song forms.  His ear isexcellent, as you’ll hear in the instrumental mixes woven into the seams ofeach song on Peel.  It’s safe to say that Gaston Light shows alot of promise, but is still figuring out where he fits musically.  Peel,however, is a solid start.

Rating: 3 Stars (Outof 5)

Learn more about Gaston Light at www.gastonlight.com or www.facebook.com/gastonlight. 

CD                              MP3              

        iTunes.

Please note that the Amazon.com prices listed above are as of the posting date, and may have changed.  Wildy's World is not responsible for price changes instituted by Amazon.com. 

David Serby - Poor Man's Poem

David Serby - Poor Man's Poem
2011, David Serby

David Serby spends his days as a Union Steward, representing workers and their interests in negotiations with employers.  When the working day is over, however, Serby picks up his guitar.  After spending three albums exploring 1960's style honky-tonk, Serby decided a different musical direction was in order.  Serby chose well, exploring a blend of Appalachia, folk and traditional country that fits perfectly to his story-teller's style.  With co-producer and guitarist Ed Tree (Spencer Davis Group), Serby has crafted his finest, most cogent work to date in the form of Poor Man's Poem. 

Serby's songwriting is rife with deep political thoughts, but the delivery is more that of a country bard.  Serby digs into stories steeped in U.S. history as a way of illuminating issues he sees as relevant to the present day.  The somewhat expansive country/folk arrangements he builds around his stories are subtle in nature and traditional in sound, coming across like the sort of personal folklore told on back porches throughout Appalachia rather than treatises on modern society.  Serby scores big with tunes like "Lay Down My Colt", a song that urges striving for peace, and the allegorical "Virginia Rail", which explores the life of a worker trying to make a living when large corporations control everything from where he works to the food he buys.

"Watch Over Her Baby" is a heartbreaker; the story of a young lady forced to give up her baby in the hope that he might have a better life, and her anguish watching from an alley as he sits upon steps where rich folks walk, hoping he'll be picked up and taken in.  "Wild West Show" explores the changes that have occurred over time for the First Nations of America.  "Evil Men" might just be the pick of the litter, however, comparing the rough and tumble behavior of the lawless on America's frontiers with that of those in boardrooms and state houses today. 

All of this is delivered in Serby's singularly plaintive voice.  He lulls you in with his delivery, and fills your head with images of times gone by while gently prodding you to think about today.  Poor Man's Poem walks the stilted streets of post-modern America trod by Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, with a finesse and classic Americana/folk style that is compelling.  David Serby is the real deal.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about David Serby at www.davidserby.com or www.myspace.com/davidserby.  Poor Man’s Poem is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Two Cent Revival - The Devil's In This Whiskey

Two Cent Revival - The Devil's In This Whiskey
2011, Two Cent Revival

Brazilian-born, Texas-raised singer/songwriter Matt Jones found love for his Texas roots only after making the move to New York City.  The emotional resonance of being so far from home plays through Two Cent Revival's new EP, The Devil's In This Whiskey, available June 15, 2011.  With a mature writing style born of the desolate honesty of Bob Dylan and Townes Van Zandt, Jones spins tales of emotional darkness and redemption, and the constant pull of both forces on the soul.

The Devil's In This Whiskey opens with "Rear View Mirror", a catchy, id-tempo Americana blend about running away from a past the narrator can't escape.  This anthem of a tortured soul comes with recognition of the trap and in ability to stop running.  Jones sounds a great deal like Paul Gross on vocals, with a steady baritone born of country grit and a touch of folk/rock seer.  "The Devil's In This Whiskey" is a brilliant rune about losing control to the bottle, in spite of having every reason not to.  He's gone to the well one too many times and spoiled the one relationship with any hope of keeping him sane.  Jones begs for mercy, expecting none, in the beginning of a spiral of competing needs.  It's an impressively compelling story-song with many layers.

"Give Me More Time" is catchy number about trying to pick someone up at a bar and being painfully aware of one's own inabilities while trying to make it look good for your friends.  The internal conversation here is well-wrought, reflecting a man who spends too much time thinking and not enough simply doing as insecurities plague his every move.  "Save Our Souls" starts out as a plaintive country/rock ballad, but turns into a Doors-esque epic rocker.  Full of urgency and desperation, this tremendous piece of songwriting shows its progressive rock roots as things swing further and further out of balance.  Two Cent Revival closes with "Back In The Day", a romantic retrospective based in a paucity of emotion.  The narrator isn't certain about happiness, but remembers a time when life was simpler as a bright light.  The solid Americana arrangement lends to the emotionally maudlin tenor of the song.

The songs on The Devil's In This Whiskey are well crafted Americana/country hybrids, but it is the personal story-telling style and pure charisma of Matt Jones that gives Two Cent Revival their wings.  Jones would be equally as compelling alone on stage with a guitar as he is in front of a band, but the full band flavor of the recordings certainly gives additional oomph to Jones' tales of imperfection, pathos and hope.  Two Cent Revival is going to make a lot of new fans with songs like this.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Two Cent Revival at www.twocentrevival.com or www.myspace.com/twocentrevival.  The Devil's In This Whiskey drops on June 15, 2011.  You can pre-order digital copies from Amazon.com.  Expect wider availability upon release.

Buxter Hoot'n - Buxter Hoot'n

Buxter Hoot'n - Buxter Hoot'n
2011, Buxter Hoot'n

San Francisco's Buxter Hoot'n is set to release their third album in five years, with the May 30, 2011 drop of Buxter Hoot'n.  Vo-vocalists Vince Dewald and Melissa Merrill; Jimmy Dewald (bass); Ben Andrews (guitar/violin) and Jeremy Shanok (drums) cover the turrets between Americana and Southern Rock on Buxter Hoot'n, the follow-up to their highly successful sophomore album In Another Life, which charted on the Americana Music Association, Roots Music Review and Jambands.com charts. 

Buxter Hoot'n opens with "Mariel", a story song that sounds like it could be an early Crash Test Dummies outtake.  The song has a solid melodic sensibility and a down-home feel.  Vince DeWald takes lead vocals this time around.  "Out The Door" is a Dylan-esque bit of bluesy Americana; a solid album track.  "Chief Justice Shepard" is a protest song that explores collusion between judges, governments and private corporations to keep prisons full of bodies.  This is a great tune, enveloped in a snappy Americana arrangement that's appealing to the ears.

"Thought I Head You Say" features Melissa Merrill on lead vocals, showing off fine alto sound with just a touch of toughness sewn in.  "Go Get Your Gun" is a song of paranoia and deeply repressed rage.  The gypsy-style violin (ala Stephane Grappelli) is a nice touch however.  "Cover Band" is a celebration of music at its most appealing; the story of a cover band working for all its worth.  This good time song manages to keep a low key approach that works well.  "Spill Some Juice On Me" is done in a bluesy, talk/sing style.  It's a solid album track, catchy in its own right.  Buxter Hoot'n closes with "Curtain", a brief instrumental fugue that tends off into nothing.

Buxter Hoot'n gets a fair amount right on their self-titled album, but also misses some of the finer points of creativity and production in the process.  Both vocalists are competent, and Buxter Hoot'n, the band, appears to have a very clear vision of who they are and where they are going.  As such, Buxter Hoot'n is highly representative of the band as they are now.  There are obvious opportunities for improvement (as there always are), but it wouldn't be surprising of the band re-creates the success they discovered with In Another Life.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Buxter Hoot'n at www.buxterhootn.com or www.myspace.com/buxterhootn. Buxter Hoot'n drops on May 30, 2011, and will be available through the band's webstore.  Expect availability via CDBaby, Amazon.com and iTunes soon.

Ron Hawkins - Straightjacket Love

Ron Hawkins - Straightjacket Love
2011, Ron Hawkins

There is a point in time and space where music, art and life intersect in mysterious ways.  It is a place where truths are lost and found; a place where magic happens.  All great songwriters strive for this marriage of time, place and muse, and even the greatest miss it more often than not.  Ron Hawkins has been dancing about the edges of this vortex for the past two decades, quietly carving out a niche as one of the finest songwriters of his generation.  First as a member of legendary Canadian rockers Lowest of the Low, and later in various solo incarnations, Ron Hawkins has built an impressive catalog of songs built on raw honesty and a master craftsman's ear for words and melody.  Hawkins recently released his 8th solo album, Straightjacket Love, drawing from country, rock and blues styles to create one of his most dynamic and satisfying works to date.

Straightjacket Love opens with "One Hundred Five", a comfortable country/folk/rock number that wastes no time showing off Hawkins' talent at turning a phrase: "And we tug our time like ragged sleeves / and our days we wear 'em thin / we scatter them like pumpkin seeds / oh breath into the wind."  It's a song of love built from long survival together and filled with an acceptance of profundity and imperfection side by side, illuminate by the light of life's limitations.  With a simple arrangement and amazing depth, Hawkins outlines what will become an album born of love songs, but rooted in the real world understanding of someone who has seen the trenches and knows that every moment is a real gift.  "Corner Room" explores distances that can never be overcome, even from one room away.  References to history are both personal and musical, and Hawkins creates a moment of angst in music that's so real it's painful.  The song is a gorgeous testament to the emotional baggage that we all carry when something good falls apart.

"The Sickness (That's What They Call Love)" is a wonderful little alt-country celebration of love.  Catchy and sweet without ever stepping into cliché, the song features a swaying chorus you can't help but sing along to.  "Hong Kong Station" is a love song written far from home on a long train ride, where contemplation turns to truth.  This one feels like it could have been a Lowest of the Low number, but is gussied up here with an Americana sound.  Hawkins has always had a talent for romanticizing the desolate moments in song, and repeats the feat with "Waitin' On Something That's Already Here".  It's a gentle calling out of someone afraid to commit that's well-written and performed with a bare honesty that's heartbreaking. 

Hawkins returns to the blues-influenced folk/rock of his early solo career (Secrets Of My Excess) with "Black".  It's a bit of musical self-flagellation decorated with remorse and hope for forgiveness, and surrounded by wonderful instrumental cameos that create a distinctive impression.  This song will get stuck in your head and stay there, and it wouldn't be at all surprising to find this song licensed for a movie somewhere down the line.  "Kill The Lights" seems to vacillate grandly between trying to get better and giving up the fight, in a life where demons both inborn and acquired bear down on the narrator's soul.  The quietly edgy guitar work serves as a counter to the almost dirge-like incantation to hold off the night, and Hawkins delivers chants the chorus with an urgency that's chilling.

Hawkins changes pace with "Company Ink", a story-song where a chance meeting and time create the circumstances for a deep fall full of competing uncertainties and profound truths.  The song explores the dichotomy of love, of being lost and found all at once.  Hawkins wraps it all up in a cute, 1970's singer/songwriter pastiche, and delivers some wonderfully subtle lyrics in the process: "I met you in July as they showed you around the floor / I filed your name away but it rattled in my drawer."  The song is a true wow moment on an album full of them.

"Straightjacket Love" heads for the honky-tonk in a catchy country/rock exploration of love, freedom and attachment.  Don't bother trying to sit still, and forget getting this number out of your head for some time to come.  "Lucky Street Lazarus" is a kiss-off song to a prior romantic offender trying to waltz back into his life.  This is pure Ron Hawkins in a bouncy, rock arrangement that would be at home in either a solo or Lowest of the Low set.  Once again, try to get this song out of your head; it's next to impossible.   

Hawkins saves his most powerful works for last.  "Diamonds In The Water" finds the narrator coming to terms with a rough history while making amends and dealing with the mental and emotional detritus of a hard life.  Here we see a man exploring his current frame of reference while making sense of the past; afraid of losing both in a wash of tides he has little or no control over.  This is songwriting at its most powerful and raw, even when steeped in imagery and ideas open to wide swings interpretation.  The image of the title, the letting go of valuable thoughts by someone for whom memory is a valuable commodity is gut-wrenching and brilliant.  Hawkins wraps things up with a silly little love song, in his own fashion, with "Prairie Girl".  It's a charmingly catchy little number that grabs you by the lapel and pulls you along; knowing no matter how dark the past may have been, right now the sun is shining bright.  And that's enough.

Ron Hawkins continues to dig closer and closer to his own personal truths on Straightjacket Love, striving like a miner to find what's real in the structure of song.  On what is perhaps his most personal and compelling work to date, Hawkins delivers an entertaining blend of celebration, rumination and remorse from the building blocks of country, rock, folk and blues.  Magic both lyrical and melodic abounds on Straightjacket Love, an album that captures you like a great book and is over before you realize a moment's passed.  You'll find yourself returning again and again, looking for the subtle, ineffable gems Hawkins uncovers in his continued search for understanding.  Straightjacket Love is mesmerizing, a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc, and an album you simply cannot afford to miss.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Ron Hawkins at www.ronhawkins.com.  Straightjacket Love drops May 31, 2011, but you can order it now in both CD and instant download versions from VictimlessCapitalism.com.  Be sure to poke around VictimlessCapitalism.com while you’re there – it’s a great site for artists to sell their music while keeping most of the proceeds.

Grateful Dead – Road Trips, Vol. 4, No. 2 – April Fools '88

Grateful Dead – Road Trips, Vol. 4, No. 2 – April Fools '88
2011, Rhino Records/Dead.net

Dead.net and Rhino Records continue their brilliant Road Trips series in 2011.  The first release, a 3-disc offering entitled April Fools '88, features live performances from Brendan Byrne Arena (then known as The Meadowlands) from March 31^st and April 1^st of 1988.  Generally renowned for their concert performances, the recordings from these two nights are like capturing lightning in a bottle, with rare performances and a stage energy from the band that is simply exceptional.

Some very rare tracks can be found in the middle of the show, including “To Lay Me Down” and Bob Dylan’s “Ballad Of A Thin Man”.   The sets offered here are full of classic Dead tunes as well,  but the real prize is the energy and flow of the two shows; especially the April 1^st performance.  The Grateful Dead were in the fullness of their musical powers in 1988, and Jerry Garcia was a new man after his medical trouble two years previous.  The result was a stunning live show, and a brilliantly produced and mastered archival record in the form of April Fools '88.  If you’re a Dead fan, this is a must have, and if you’re looking for a good introduction to the Grateful Dead, you couldn’t choose better.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Grateful Dead at http://www.dead.net/, where you can order a copy of Road Trips, Vol. 4, No. 2 – April Fools '88.

Nate Marshall - Stowaways, Throwaways & Drifters

Nate Marshall - Stowaways, Throwaways & Drifters
201, Nate Marshall

Nate Marshall may be familiar to readers of Wildy's World as one half of Upstate New York duo Nate & Kate.  A lot has gone on in the world of Nate Marshall since we reviewed Now & Then; but the essential character of his songwriting hasn't changed even as continued touring and the cascade of life events have deepened his perspective on the world around him.  Marshall recently returned with Stowaways, Throwaways & Drifters, a collection of eleven tracks that documents Marshall's continued development as a songwriter and storyteller.

Marshall opens with "Smile That Smile For Me", a folky love song with something of a mid-1970's Paul Simon flair to it.  You'll find yourself hitting repeat on this track, which combines great songwriting with vibrant energy and a subtle sense of musical timing.  "River Of Liquor" is a bit muddled and messy; reflecting an attempt at recovery from alcoholism and the restoration of a relationship.  "Anything, Anytime, Anywhere: Free" is a sociological take on how the prevalence of technology has blurred the line between "needs" and "wants".  It's an apt observation planted in a blues/folk/American arrangement you can't shake.  "Here To The Midnight Shore" changes pace a bit; a love song embossed with Beach Boys-style harmonies.  It's a sweet number that's pretty and airy but manages substance in spite of it all. 

"Architects Of Destiny" is like a messy Blood Sweat & Tears jam.  The horns are jarring and the arrangement has an uncomfortable feel; which may be by accident but more likely seems an instrumental allegory for deep discomfort with the direction of the world.  "Turn The Key" opens with an instrumental take on "Oh Susanna" that grows through variation and embellishment into a tune about the imperturbable draw of home, even from within the unrelenting walls of prison.  Marshall descends into inspired silliness for "I Love U More", a love song that includes references to George Bush, Saddam Hussein, Jesus, Burger King, McDonalds and nudism.  It's hokey and fun and may even evoke a chuckle or two.

Marshall displays depth with "Piano Overture", a bluesy pop piano piece that sounds like it was recorded in a restaurant at dinner time.  Marshall impressive with a lyrical style, a sense of dynamics and vibrant personality that plays out through the keys.  Horizons continue to broaden on "Fiery, Desolate Day", which dawns stylistic guitar work that feeds into a high octane acoustic blues tune you won't soon forget.  "That Ain't Us, Ain't That Us" is a story song about the things we all say we don't do in relationships even as we do them.  It's an indictment of human behavior and sincerity that relies on human tendency as the primary indictment.  It's a smooth bit of songwriting that is likely to stick around Marshall's live sets for years.  "Not In My Name" is a political protest song, calling out the U.S. government for waging wars her people don't support.

Nate Marshall doesn't have a perfect voice, but he has the perfect voice for the songs he write and the style he purveys.  There's something gritty and knowing about the man as a songwriter that puts listeners at ease right away.  Stowaways, Throwaways & Drifters is a varied collection that shows off some of Marshall's strengths as a writer and performer, but also manages to unearth some sides to the artist you might not have expected.  In a crowded Indie singer/songwriter marketplace, Nate Marshall stands out.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Nate Marshall (and Nate & Kate) at www.nateandkatemusic.com or www.myspace.com/nateandkatemusic.  Stowaways, Throwaways & Drifters is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available from iTunes.

Sherman Ewing – Single Room Saloon

Sherman Ewing – Single Room Saloon
2011, Okindalia Records

Sherman Ewing walked through hell and lives to tell the tale.  Tell it he does on his latest album, Single Room Saloon.  The Columbia University grad, who once played in a band called Sherman And The Bureaucrats with John “Jojo” Hermann of Widespread Panic, grew up in British boarding schools during the birth of the punk movement.  His songwriting evokes some of that attitude infused into a blend of pop, rock and country.  With an all-star band at his back (members have worked with Bob Dylan, Spin Doctors, Hank Williams, Jr., Phish, Keith Richards and Widespread Panic), Ewing opens an emotional vein for all the world to hear.

Single Room Saloon opens with “Heaven Waits”, an intriguing commentary on materialism and the corruption it breeds.  Ewing points to a light in the distance in a delicious blend of country guitars and sophisticated rock n roll.  “Single Room Saloon” has a distinctly urgent feel; imagine the Beatles playing in an Americana style.  The result is an edgy sound that will stay with you.  “Grey Skies Blue” is catchy, but its Ewing’s guitar work that most stands out.  It’s a tune about that one person who makes even the darkest day bright, and brings to mind some of the better works of Wilco.  “Flatlands” is a dreamy Americana blend that’s as pleasing to the ear as it is pointed in message.

“Walk On” is all about making your way in the world and finding your place.  It’s a delicious bit of soulful, buzzy rock and roll.  Things slow down for a couple of songs, but Ewing gets back on track with “Bye Bye America”.  Ewing laments those who would stand by and watch America’s decline as long as they get what they feel is coming to them.  Ewing keeps up the social commentary on “The Mission”, delving into the growing gap between rich and poor and the inability of the latter to keep up.   Ewing closes with “Marilyn”, an inconspicuous final track that plays like an epilogic vector.

Sherman Ewing shows a distinctive ability in the crafting of songs on Single Room Saloon.  The material presented here is, for the most part, cogently written and melodically sound.  Ewing’s special talent is in the musical details, which he wraps around the melodic core in layers both distinctive and refined.  Not all of the songs here work on all levels, but there’s more than enough here to make Single Room Saloon worth your time.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Sherman Ewing at www.shermanewing.com.  Single Room Saloon is available digitally from Amazon.com or iTunes.

Jeff Cochell - Between The Lines

Jeff Cochell - Between The Lines

2009, Jeff Cochell

Portland, Oregon guitarist/singer/songwriter Jeff Cochell was first influenced by the work of Bob Dylan and Jimmy Page.  Somewhere along the way he discovered Lindsay Buckingham and Leo Kottke, and dove headfirst into the study of Fingerstyle guitar.  Cochell has become a phenom with the six string; his art clearly apparent throughout his debut album, Between The Lines.

Between The Lines is a confounding album.  Jeff Cochell is obviously very talented on the guitar, a notable point all throughout the album.  As much as Cochell excels as a guitar player and composer, as a lyricist he is often awkward in his phrasing, seeking out ham-handed lines that simple do not flow.  Cochell is at his best in "My Back's Against The Wall", using vocal harmonies to effectively mask a lack of vocal discipline that often leads to being off pitch while delivering the most cogent lyrics on the album.  "Somewhere" stresses Cochell's strengths as a guitarist in a stirring instrumental piece you'll find yourself listening to again and again.     Throughout much of the rest of Between The Lines Cochell mixes solid musical offerings with less than spectacular vocals and lyrics.

Jeff Cochell has a real ear as a writer and instrumentalist, and it's clear that in the right arrangement with a carefully chosen vocal line Cochell can sound quite good, but his fumbling lyrical sense is a definite disadvantage.  Working with someone for a more natural poetic proclivity may yield an impressive trove of songs as well as sparking the sort of constructive tension that can elevate good songwriting to great.  Between The Lines shows the seeds of musical success, but work needs to be done and Cochell may need to collaborate to realize the best of his talents.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Jeff Cochell at http://www.jeffcochell.com/ or www.myspace.com/jeffcochell.   Between The Lines is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available digitally from iTunes.

Trout Fishing In America - Lookin' At Lucky

Trout Fishing In America - Lookin' At Lucky
2010, Trout Records

For over thirty years Trout Fishing In America has been bringing their delicious blend of styles and sounds to families of all ages. Keith Grimwood (bass/vocals) and Ezra Idlet (guitar/vocals/ukelele/bouzuki/percussion) have a special chemistry they bring to the recording studio and stage, regardless of whether they are singing for children, families or adults. The four-time GRAMMY Award nominated duo spend a lot of their time performing for children and families, but they started out playing rock and roll music for adults in the Houston, Texas band St. Elmo's Fire in the 1970's. Grimwood (5'5 1/2") and Idlet (6'9") might appear to yang and yin when you see them, but together they form a complete whole that blends music, humor and heart in ways that recall another era of music. On September 28, 2010, Trout Fishing In America returns with their first adult music album in eleven years. Lookin' At Lucky is Trout Fishing In America's most mature work to date. Sprinkled with the trademark humor that has made the band such a success across generations, features sublime songwriting and the sort of musical chemistry that takes thirty years and a little bit of magic to build.

Trout Fishing In America opens with the title track. "Lookin' At Lucky" is a love song that focuses on how the right person can make you feel. It's a brilliant take on love; light-hearted and yet full of real emotion in the best Trout tradition. The melody is one that will stay with you, and the folk/country arrangement is a perfect fit. "She's The Only Smile" is about the serendipity of finding the perfect person, even if just for a dance. There's a youthful exuberance in the song tempered by the wisdom that recognizes magic when it happens. "Bettin' That It Won't" is a delicious mix of cynicism and hope reflected in a classic folk/rock arrangement. It's the sort of song that most anyone can identify with; universal in appeal and understanding.

Keith Grimwood takes over lead vocals for "Home", a confidently hopeful tune about love and its eventuality. The picture here is not of someone pining for love, but of one who knows it will come and is willing to wait. "Home" features a graceful melody, and Grimwood has a voice that's pleasant and sweet. Ezra Idlet offers a lesson about the grass being greener on "Safer Haven". The protagonist of the song leaves southern California to escape earthquakes only to find himself in Oklahoma and in the path of a tornado. Next up is the Carolina coast and hurricane season and ultimately a volcano in the northwest. All the while Idlet is just looking to survive, "asking for a little slice of heaven while holding off eternity". In the end Arizona is a safe place to land, even with speculations about killer bees in the air. It's songs like this that make you realize the value of what Trout Fishing In America does. Perhaps it comes from the years playing shows for kids, but Grimwood and Idlet have a story-telling style sprinkled with good humor that smacks of folks like Johnny Horton, Arlo Guthrie and yes, even Bob Dylan.

"Drivin' Rain" may be the most intriguing track on "Lookin' At Lucky"; a breakup song with elements of rock, soul and funk but driven by inventive banjo soloing courtesy of Idlet. It's a catchy tune; and one that could cross a lot of musical boundaries. There was a time not too long ago when this could easily have forced its way onto both the rock and country charts. "Who Knows What We Might Do" is a charmer that explores the inverse properties of aging, taking aim at the old "act your age" argument in sweet and funny fashion ("acting your age is getting harder and harder to do when the age that you're feeling inside's more the size of your shoe"). Keith Grimwood is perfectly at home in a moment touching, funny and genuine. Well-age loved is the theme of "Not Every Dream", exploring the gentle pleasures of a relationship that is as comfortable as a second skin yet as vital as when it was new. It's a song about deep connections and the sustaining power of love, and is Idlet's most affecting vocal performance on the album.

Grimwood offers up a gently humorous look at the tendency toward little memory lapses as we age in "The Car's Running", lamenting his inability to find the keys to the house while the car is running and other little memory gaffes that comes to us all in time. Trout Fishing In America resurrect "How Many Times A Fool" as a folkgrass number that's introspective and full of a detached sorrow. The original version, appearing on 1991's Over The Limit, was a more folk/rock oriented turn full of fresh anger and self-recrimination. This is a great update that shows how the passage of time heals wounds even if they never fully go away. "I Pretend To Understand" offers a great coping mechanism for being overwhelmed with too much information that works no matter how old you are. It's a cute tune set in a funky/slinky folk arrangement that reflects the "just getting along" theme reflected in the lyrics. Trout Fishing In America returns to their distinctive blending of folk and bluegrass for the closing number "My Baby Loves Sudoku". It's the anthem of a Sudoku widower who can't compete with the addictive power of the game.

Sometimes we forget about people's power to transform themselves. Trout Fishing In America have had a tremendous run over the past three decades primarily as a children's act, occasionally sprinkling in an album ostensibly for the adults. While the awards have most come for their children's work, Keith Grimwood and Ezra Idlet have always been masterful songwriters no matter who they were writing for. Yet Lookin' At Lucky would seem to mark an artistic zenith for the duo, displaying a maturity and grace that has always been integral to their act but at a much more refined level than in the past. Trout Fishing In America will charm you with Lookin' At Lucky. You'll laugh; you'll feel and you'll walk away seeing the world in brighter hues. Lookin' At Lucky is by far a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Trout Fishing In America at http://www.troutmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/troutfishinginamerica.  Lookin' At Lucky drops September 28, 2010.  You can pre-order the album at Trout Fishing In America's webstore, and they'll even autograph it for you for no extra charge.