The Steam Donkeys
Little Honky Tonks
Landslide
From that renowned country music hotbed, Buffalo, New York, the Steam Donkeys strike a pose somewhere between the western swing of Bob Wills and the honky tonking of a Buck Owens or Dwight Yoakum, with a real large helping of Commander Cody (check out “Pothead”). Instrumentally, they capture a real nice sound – guitarist Charlie Quill is a tasty picker, and guest steel by Dennis Mike is subtle but filling. The only problem, if there is one, is that they really don’t say anything new, or break any new ground. “Pothead” is cute, but has the world been asking for a stoner version of the Rawhide theme? An a cappella version of “Before The Next Teardrop Falls” ends the record beautifully, and sprinkled throughout the disc are some great moments – it’s just that none of them are really exceptional enough to stand out in a increasingly crowded pack of new country artists.
Landslide Records, 1800 Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA 30309; http://www.landsliderecords.com
