Drivin n Cryin
Drivin n Cryin
Drivin n Cryin/Ichiban
Looking at this CD, I immediately notice two major changes. First, Drivin n Cryin are now a three piece band, with guitarist Buren Fowler having taken a powder for unspecified reasons. Second, the boys are now recording on their own label. What caused them to leave Island Records is unknown, but it is a move that should have taken place long ago. Distribution through Ichiban doesn’t hurt, either.
The general sound and feel of the album is your basic Drivin n Cryin, perhaps a bit more mellow than previous material, but that’s probably due to more direct control of the music by the band. Interestingly, one of the tracks is self-titled, and it shows a darker side of the band’s collective personality. I guess that’s understandable and forgivable, considering everything they’ve been through.
The song “Let Lenny B.” is the heaviest on the album and “Passing Through” is the most laid back. On the latter, Michelle Malone is credited with the spoken word part, which she performs very nicely.
An adequate cover of the John Denver classic “Leaving on a Jet Plane” is included. They performed this number when they opened for The Who on their Quadrophenia tour awhile back. It really had the Boomer audience confused, which in itself is a good thing. The overweight grayheaded sots couldn’t figure out how an “alternative band” could render such a vital version of this golden oldie.
These guys have been kicking around for years. Why aren’t they world-famous? They are a hundred times better than most of the bands infecting our airwaves today. It’s just not fair. Ichiban, P.O. Box 724677, Atlanta, GA 31139
