CD Reviews 2

Slaid Cleaves Wishbones Philo/Rounder Records By Kevin J. Hosey While it’s tough to imagine a bad Slaid Cleaves recording, this one took longer than his others to get to me in a good way, but it has; “Wishbones” is a CD that merits repeated listening. With a tougher sound fleshed out by Cleaves and producer/instrumentalist Gurf Morlix, the folk, folk rock and country/folk blends gain a rocking treatment, illustrated on “Road too Long,” where Cleaves discusses when a tour becomes one that needs to end (exhaust fumes, van more comfortable place than hotel) over an upbeat electric guitar from Charles Arthur and Ian McLagan organ-led music bed. The mid-tempo country rock (especially Morlix’s pedal steel) of “Drinkin’ Days” highlights Cleaves finally leaving that period of his life behind but neither regretting that he went through it nor that he enjoyed so much of it, especially a life lesson or two learned: “sometimes you gotta act like you got a pair.” “Wishbones” notes how too many people give more and more to get less and less, with the folkish music strengthened by cello and fiddle and Morlix’s electric guitar and Cleaves’ parting words lending some hope. As usual, there are several what many call story songs: “Borderline” could be a new classic, the tale of Armando trying to get to the U.S. from Mexico for a better life for he and his family, but after getting sent back turning to drug growing and dealing until his brother-in-law’s betrayal produces a horrible choice for Armando, picking which family member he kills to save himself; Billy Bright’s mandolin is particularly touching. A company slowly buys out the holdouts opposing its take over of their town on the sad and moody “Below,” and a World War II-era teen jockey recalls his thrills and death of his best friend riding on “Quick as Dreams.” If you like songs swampy, “Sinner’s Prayer” is swampy in a sinister, slightly bluesy manner as Cleaves wants to improve his lot but knows he’ll fallback.

Loomer Love Is a Dull Instrument Newtone Records By Kevin J. Hosey Sporting several former members of Toronto’s the Saddletramps, a pretty darn good countrified rocking band from the 1990s, Loomer has released a strong CD blending this country and rock approach with some slab/wall of sound rock. The country side is evident on the CD opener, “Company Store,” with acoustic guitar and organ more than flavoring the pop rock underneath, particularly the pedal steel guitar of Buffalo’s Jim Whitford. Singer Scott Loomer knows what he is (a miner) and can be and doubts there are major changes anywhere in his life, hoping a woman will take him as he is; either Andrew Lindsay’s or Brian Duguay’s electric guitar adds some late punch. “Psychotic Killer” is a thick, moody rocking love story of sorts in which a man imprisoned for murder courts a lonely woman through the mail; the tale of love, good and bad, leaves one wondering what he really has in mind for her. “Peace” is a more upbeat, twangy rocker with cool guitar and piano solos (Mike Taylor); Loomer notes that family, kids and simple things are the most fun, great tonics and possibly everything one needs. “Bluebells and Roses,” ringing pop rock blended with Whitford’s pedal steel, has Loomer realizing he and his lover/spouse have hit a crisis in their relationship and must make sure they are OK with each other before opening up to others and causing everyone pain. “Imperial Parkette,” a slice-of-life story of the goings-on of a Toronto pocket park (including drug users and dealers, winos, customers, residents and passers-by), is upbeat and twangy with some organ from Taylor. “Hercules,” another thick pop rocker, has Loomer observing a friend losing it to bitterness and loneliness, slipping away to paranoia without anyone able to help, while in “Barroom Lullaby,” Loomer tries to make sense of surviving a hard-drinking lifestyle that is easting away at him as the atmospheric music turns angry. Loomer can be contacted at www.loomeronline.com.