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Reviews

Welcome to a Review Page!
We solicit your considered reviews of both recorded and live music. If you'd like to have your new CD reviewed or contribute a review, please send your CD or ideas or submissions to Roots66 or
Bill Yates
Webmaster, Roots66.com
1911 Arlene Avenue
Oxnard, CA 93036-2704
 or Erika Harding
Roots Productions
60 South Anacapa Street
Ventura, CA 93001
Please note that we review music in the categories listed in the links above. CDs submitted for review are not returnable and no guarantee is made that a CD will be reviewed.

CD Review
[T. J. Casey - Pure
Buy this CD from the artist
T. J. Casey

Pure "D" Cowboy

Montana Cowboy Records Catalog Number
Produced by T. J. Casey, John Westbrook

T. J. Casey - lead & background vocals, rhythm guitar
Laura Wilson - accordion, background vocals
Tim Todd - fiddle
John Westbrook - acoustic lead, bass, & rhythm guitar
Joseph Firecrow - Native American flute, rattles, chant (5)
Andy Wilson - background vocals
Alice Hanks - background vocals
Review by Bill Yates, Roots66.com

America has produced several distinctive varieties of music: spirituals, jazz, blues, bluegrass, rock-and-roll, and Western or cowboy music. Perhaps more than the rest of these, cowboy music conjures up a mental image of the western frontier and the iconic figure of the hard-working, hard-living, fundamentally good-hearted cowboy. Of course, the dime novels and movies have contributed greatly to that image but that doesn't negate its fundamental truths. And music has always been associated with the cowboy, both in reality and in entertainment. These days one of the foremost true cowboy singers is Montana's T. J. Casey. A cowboy poet, Certified Veterinarian Technician, rancher, and singer. "Pure "D" Cowboy" is Casey's second album. His first, "Blue Montana Skies," was reviewed here 1/16/03.

The authentic cowboy starts off by encouraging his fellow rodeo cowboy to "Ride Cowboy Ride". There's a nice ringing chord near the end. Casey dedicates his song, "The Cowboy Hall Of Fame" to the American cowboy. Casey Tibbs was inducted in 1955 and Dan Mortenson (from Casey's Montana) in 1997. Casey then declares, "I'm Gonna Ride," to the ideal cowboy country. "The Cowboy Ain't Over (Till The Last Coyote Sings)," Casey protests that the cowboy will be around for a while yet. In "It's In My Blood," Casey explains why he's a cowboy. That's Native American musician Joseph Firecrow on flute, rattles, and chant. "The Wind" is a tribute to the ever present wind.

A little reminiscing is in order in "Wish I Was Just A Kid Again." "Blue Moon" describes the life of a lone cowboy. Casey pays tribute to his favorite state by stating he loves to be "In Montana." "Heart Over Money" is a plea to preserve things from exploitation by the big money boys. "Cowboy, Don't Change Your Ways" is a plea to the cowboy not to change despite the pressures to change. The "Old Can Man" is a moving portrait of a cowboy entertainer who has fallen on hard times.

T. J. Casey has put together another fine album of cowboy music from an authentic cowboy. "Pure "D" Cowboy" evokes not only the romance of the cowboy life but also its pains as it resists fading away. He is effective in communicating the thorough penetration of that life into the soul of the cowboy. Casey is a fine lyricist and musician and has chosen an excellent group of musicians to support him here. Special thanks to Joseph Firecrow for his work on "It's In My Blood." If you like cowboys, cowboy music, or just music, "Pure "D" Cowboy" will surely please.

My Favorite Songs: "I'm Gonna Ride," "It's In My Blood," "Old Can Man"

Rating: [Rating: 4-1/2 notes] 4-1/2 notes

Copyright 2006 William Theron Yates

1/21/2006

1) Ride Cowboy Ride (T. J. Casey, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI) 4:16
2) The Cowboy Hall Of Fame (T. J. Casey, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI) 4:01
3) I'm Gonna Ride (T. J. Casey, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI) 2:17
4) The Cowboy Ain't Over (Till The Last Coyote Sings) (T. J. Casey, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI) 5:08
5) It's In My Blood (T. J. Casey, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI) 3:41
6) The Wind (T. J. Casey, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI) 3:30
7) Wish I Was Just A Kid Again (T. J. Casey, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI) 2:23
8) Blue Moon (T. J. Casey, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI) 3:12
9) In Montana (T. J. Casey, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI) 3:00
10) Heart Over Money (T. J. Casey, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI) 5:21
11) Cowboy, Don't Change Your Ways (T. J. Casey, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI) 3:06
12) Old Can Man (Val Prophet, T. J. Casey, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI) 4:00

This review is copyrighted but may be quoted in whole or part provided credit is given such as "--Bill Yates, Roots66.com". If you post the review on a web site, please link to http://www.roots66.com if you can.


Last updated 5/10/06.
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