Los Lonely Boys' "Sacred"

Epic Records

2 out of 5 stars

Blues-iness
On their sophomore studio album, Los Lonely Boys have seemingly hit their stride in the popularity department with "Sacred." On the strength of their recently released single "Diamonds," a tune with hints much like their first mainstream success "Heaven," they look to be on their way. However, it seems that promotional purposes have marketed this Mexican Rock band as a blues album, which has, well...its repercussions.
The album kicks off with a Los Lobos-of-old flavored rocking number called "My Way" explaining the boys' ways of staying true to themselves and their music, answering any critics' notions of their selling their souls to the big label demons for commercial popularity. However, the real blood and guts of the album is highlighted about five tracks in on a flamenco-tinged, almost slow blues ballad called "I Never Met A Woman" which lends itself to another band of the Texican element called Tito and Tarantula. It has a slow burn feel to it, with just enough spice to definitely hint at the Stevie Ray Vaughan Texas roots of guitar player Henry Garza. The Garza Brothers, though lacking in lyrical content, don't lack in talent. Lush harmonies by all the brothers flourish throughout the disc, reminiscent of their Mexican roots from the mariachi tradition. The Garzas also call on their musical influences in the song "Outlaws" paying homage to Johnny Cash and the Texas Blues traditons. It is obviously that this fantastic band, especially in elder brother Henry's guitar playing, that these guys are rooted in blues but definitely do not produce a blues album.
It also obviously detracts from their previously released live disc which is just drench and flooded with the influence of Los Lobos, Vaughan, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Tito & Tarantula, amongst others in the Texas Electric Roadhouse Blues tradition. With better marketing and experience on the road, the boys from Southwest Texas will make for a real good band blessed in the Texican spirit that they harmonize in the lyrics of the album

Ben Cox

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

Aynsely Lister's "Everything I Need"

About 8 Years Too Late
3 out of 5 stars

Ruf City Records

He sounds like he's from Texas on guitar, his voice reminiscent of Jamie Walters of "The Heights" early 90s TV fame; Aynsely Lister's album "Everything I Need" is running about eight years too late. When you put on the album, you'll understand that this is one of those good albums but not a great one. Hearkening everyone from ZZ Top to Stevie Ray Vaughan in his Texas-sized guitar sound and playing, Lister throws a long shadow of a flashback on the then encouraging blues-rock scene of the late 90s with the likes of Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Jonny Lang. Though those two eventually went on to sell their souls to the Big Label demons, Lister seems to make no apologies about who he is or where he comes from. When you get midway through the album, after being attacked with and loosed in the shuffle of your blues-rock mind, you hear an overly acoustic track called "As the Crow Flies," one of only two non-penned tracks by Lister himself that just grabs ahold of you and gives you a good shock. Then, four tracks later, you can close your eyes and envision Albert Collins ripping into one of his iconoclastic instrumentals, but its Lister delivering the punch with "Quiet Boy!" Finally, the last two tracks of the album will sell you, when Lister rips into a song reminiscent of SRV's classic "Tin Pan Alley" called "Need Her So Bad" that introduces you to some of the most dynamic playing on the whole album. Then, finally, Lister pays the ultimate tribute to SRV when he mimicks "Little Wing," the Jimi Hendrix classic, but unlike Vaughan's instrumental gem, Lister sings with that Walters-esque voice of his, adding a separate dimension to the song that is both haunting and captivating. If you can separate Lister from all the blues-rock warble of wannabe Stevie Ray's and the next Kenny Wayne's you might let this album find its way into your collection.

Ben Cox