Cuatro Canciones

Lovely little thing...

     

This short recording is a gem, and a great way to get an overview of this band's truly unique style. The harmonica and danceable beat on "Adios Mi Corazon," reminds my West-Texan husband and his father of dancing at fandangos on the border, but the song is light-hearted and sweet and never dips into cariacature. It's one of the band's best, in my opinion. ""The Ballad of the Gold Thief" follows in a similar vein, but the slow-burn intro, mesmerizing vocals, and the hint at a fascinating story that is never fully revealed delivers a song that is more than the sum of the spare instrumentation and vocals. "Rosa Marie" shows the side of the band that Mark Howard has influenced; the more intricate instrumentation is a hint at Deadman's direction on later albums. The story is more explicit in this song, but don't worry about the details; just wait for the guitar bridge to wipe it all out of your mind. "Lonely Times," similarly, is most worth listening to for the guitar melody shimmering behind the vocals. You know what they say about good things - snatch this small package up and see why this band is growing in popularity all the time.