Rod Cook and Toast: Troublemaker

From the openng notes of "Beautiful Delilah" to the shimmering cadenza of "Come together", Troublemaker, the latest release from Rod Cook and Toast just erupts, one explosion of texture and color after another and never seems to pause for air. Cook is a great slide player, comfortable exploring the complicated soundscape that can be created by blending acoustic and electric instruments, some taken far outside their normal tonal range. But enough guitar speak....

There's some great songs, both well-chosen covers and originals. Beautiful Delilah, the opening track is an old Chuck Berry Chestnut that gets a full fledged make-over thats like a cross between that Duane Eddy low-pitched rumble and an overdue express train. My favorite track on this disk is 'Up the Line", an old friend of a blues standard that sports a driving, almost latin groove. But really, to pick a favorite is a tough choice, because there is simply some brilliant playing here- "the Chasm" has been rotation in my player for weeks, for the simple beauty of the acuistic guitar lines and vocal harmonies. With a disk like this it's not hard to understand why Rod Cook and Toast as one of the Pacific Northwests stronger bands.

Highly rated! Check the band out at their web site site: www.rodcookandtoast.net

Reviewed by Henry Mann