Roots66: Music: Reviews: Slaid Cleaves

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Philo Records 11671-1238-2
Produced by Gurf Morlix

Slaid Cleaves - vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion
Ivan Brown - bass, upright bass
Gurf Morlix - electric, acoustic, pedal steel, and baritone guitars, bass, background vocals
Rick Richards - drums, percussion
Brian Standefer - cello
Eleanor Whitmore - fiddle
Darcie Deaville- fiddle
Billy Bright - mandolin
Charles Arthur - electric guitar
Ian "Mac" McLagan - Hammond organ
Jeff Plankenhogn - Dobro, background vocals
Eliza Gilkyson - background vocal (Wishbones)
Kristen Anderson, Karen Cleaves, Anita Coy, Brende Fuller, Mike Jasper, Susan Maxe, Mark Viator - background vocals (New Year's Day)

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	Buy this CD from the artist, the label, or <map name="boxmap-p6"> <area shape="RECT" coords="1, 140, 83, 150" href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" alt="" /> <area coords="0,0,10000,10000" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/roots66" alt="" /> </map> <img src="http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/rcm/120x150.gif" width="120" height="150" border="0" usemap="#boxmap-p6" alt="Shop at Amazon.com" /> Slaid Cleaves Wishbones Philo Records 11671-1238-2 Produced by Gurf Morlix Slaid Cleaves - vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion Ivan Brown - bass, upright bass Gurf Morlix - electric, acoustic, pedal steel, and baritone guitars, bass, background vocals Rick Richards - drums, percussion Brian Standefer - cello Eleanor Whitmore - fiddle Darcie Deaville- fiddle Billy Bright - mandolin Charles Arthur - electric guitar Ian "Mac" McLagan - Hammond organ Jeff Plankenhogn - Dobro, background vocals Eliza Gilkyson - background vocal (Wishbones) Kristen Anderson, Karen Cleaves, Anita Coy, Brende Fuller, Mike Jasper, Susan Maxe, Mark Viator - background vocals (New Year's Day)
	1) Wishbones (Slaid Cleaves, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Happy Valley Music/Magic Rat Music. (BMI), Mt. Kharma Music (ASCAP) admin by Bug) 2) Road Too Long (Slaid Cleaves, Happy Valley Music-Magic Rat Music. (BMI)) 3) Drinkin' Days (Slaid Cleaves, Karen Poston, Happy Valley Music/Magic Rat Music/Pistol Girl Music. (BMI)) 4) Sinner's Prayer (Slaid Cleaves, Rod Picott, Happy Valley Music/Magic Rat Music/Welding Rod Music. (BMI)) 5) Tiger Tom Dixon's Blues (Rod Picott, Welding Rod Music. (BMI)) 6) Below (Slaid Cleaves, Nicole St. Pierre, Happy Valley Music-Magic Rat Music. (BMI)) 7) Quick As Dreams (Slaid Cleaves, Happy Valley Music-Magic Rat Music. (BMI)) 8) Horses and Divorces (Slaid Cleaves, Happy Valley Music-Magic Rat Music. (BMI)) 9) Hearts Break (Slaid Cleaves, Happy Valley Music-Magic Rat Music. (BMI)) 10) Borderline (Slaid Cleaves, Happy Valley Music-Magic Rat Music. (BMI)) 11) New Year's Day (Slaid Cleaves, Happy Valley Music-Magic Rat Music. (BMI)) Review by Bill Yates, Roots66.com Maine-born, Texas-dwelling Slaid Cleaves has just finished this his third album for Philo Reocrds. Cleaves first came to wider notice in 1992 when he won the Kerrville Folk Festival's prestigious New Folk competition, following in the footsteps of such as Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle, and Robert Earl Keen, Jr. His first album, "No Angel Knows," was released in 1996 and his second, "Broke Down," followed in 2000. Cleaves possesses a keen eye for the struggles of life and the characters that populate the out-of-the-way corners of that life. He is a master craftsman of lyrics and matches them well to his own or his collaborator's music. The title song, "Wishbones," is a well-written (with co-writer Ray Wylie Hubbard) but rather downer view of life. A truck driver mulls over the signs that he's been on the "Road Too Long." My "Drinkin' Days" are over, sings the singer, since they don't serve drinks in the prison in Huntsville, Texas. The dirge-like "Sinner's Prayer" with it's limited range of notes and repetitive bass line mirrors the sentiments in the lyrics. "Tiger Tom Dixon's Blues" recounts the rise and fall of a hard-drinking boxer. "Below" is the story of a small town sacrificed for a a power dam. Based on a chapter from Laura Hillenbrand's book "Seabiscuit," "Quick As Dreams" recounts the tale of a jockey's spill and death on the track. "Horses and Divorces" seem to conspire to keep the song's subject from getting ahead in life. To a rockin' beat, "Hearts Break" is an observation on the rather bleak ways of the world. The life of a Mexican desperately trying to support his family leads to disaster in "Borderline." "New Year's Day" is a tribute to a departed loved one whose influence lives on in the lives of others. Slaid Cleaves "Wishbones" `is an impressive piece of work. Cleaves is a remarkable songwriter (and an excellent prose writer also, check out his web site). He wrote or co-wrote all but one of the songs here. His voice is easy to listen to and expressive in a low-key sort of way. He does not have to yell to get his point across. He is ably supported by the musicians around him and the album sound is excellent. Kudos to producer/musician Gurf Morlix (who collaborated with Lucinda Williams) for an very good job. While all his fans will be sure to get the album, it is also an excellent find for those who don't know Cleaves' music. He is a proven—and still developing—talent. I highly recommend this album. Rating: 4-1/2 notes Copyright 2004 William Theron Yates 2/26/04 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.

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