fluences, from Emmylou Harris to Dolly Par- ton, but make no mistake, Brooke is ab- solutely original. Darin, a former member of the Country
Gentlemen, is equally adept at vocals as well as guitar and mandolin. The album has some- thing for everyone, wrapped up in lovely vocal harmonies and near perfect instrumentation. “This River,” a John Cowan song, is a beauti- ful, almost haunting ballad that finds the duo at the top of their game harmony and vocal wise. It’s also nice to see Cowan himself on vocals and bass. Cowan shows up later on the album helping out on another of his composi- tions, “Cumberland Plateau.” “Kingdom Come,” the tune that kicks off the album is a serious bluegrass throw down. And is followed by a heart felt gospel tune called “Fit for a King.”
The album is just packed with great
songs, including the beautiful “Someday Soon” is a standout track, and “Highway of Heartache” features their friend Vince Gill adding some vocals, which he also does for “Mountains in Mississippi,” a Dobro, banjo and fiddle romp with killer harmonies. “Eugene and Diane,” one of several songs here penned by Carl Jackson, is nothing less than an excellent story song. You can never go wrong with a love song, especially a sad one. The Pat Flynn composition “Lila” is another great lyric of undying love and “Heaven Just Got Sweeter for You” closes the album with a love song about love and loss and faith. Ab- solutely beautiful
-Michael Buffalo Smith -Phillip Smith
The Joey Gilmore Band Respect The Blues (Mosher Street) It feels really good to
settle in for a nice listen to the latest release, Re- spect the Blues, from Florida blues-man Joey
Gilmore. Gilmore and his crew, bassist Robert “Hi-Hat” Carter, drummers Raul Her- nandez and Maurice Dukes, keyboardist Sonny Boy Williams, and guitarist Ivan Chopik have an old-school vibe, but keep it fresh in their performance. “A Little Love (Always Makes it Bet-
tah)” is a vibrant and energizing Cajun-fla- vored track. Accented with Gilmore’s groovy playing and the lush sounds emanating from Williams’ keys, this track delivers the goods. I love that slow bluesy funk which is slathered all over “Breakin’ Up Somebody’s Home”, originally recorded by Ann Peebles. This is a hell of a song immersed in pent-up angst and orneriness. Gilmore exquisitely covers “Chain of Fools” with the female half of the duet beautifully taken on by Edlene Hart. The Joey Gilmore Band also serves up a bountiful bowl- ful of soul with William Bell’s “Can’t Kill Nothin’” and the Johnny Rawls tune “Soul Survivor”. The blues burrows in deep when Gilmore wails his heart out on “Brownskin Woman”, a killer song with an attention-grab- bing drumbeat and the sweet sounds of Rockin’ Jake on harp. Respect the Blues is a definite ‘keeper’.
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