Notes
"Tortured-with-a-twist-honkey-soul-twang" Glenn O'Brien in Andy Warhol's Interview Magazine "Van Morrison meets Elvis Costello" Brian Ahern Grammy Winning producer of Emmylou Harris etc. DJ's & CD Reviewers Say : TOP 5 wonderful songwriting & the man knows how to sing them JackGarrison //WFIT " A kaleidoscope of styles...........a panorama of subjects " Arthur Wood, FOLKWAX Reviews Editor "I don't know where it came from..it's so good I don't care" David Pilot, Americana/Rockzilla "The kind of delicious sprawl Ryan Adams might have created if only..." Americana UK "Top 5 Best of the Year" ...Fresh Air, CBC THE BEST KEPT SECRET After several as leader of underground folkers "Jeremy Dormouse" and roots rockers "Max Mouse and the Gorillas" this is the 10th solo recording by Cris Cuddy. After projects in Nashville with George Bradfute (Paul Burch, Webb Wilder), Brian Ahern (Emmylou, Johnny Cash) and Andrew Hardin (Tom Russell), the current recording again reflects Cuddy's mixed bag of styles which has seen his songs used by artists as diverse as Juno Winners Prairie Oyster, IBMA Super-picker Jim Hurst, whose version of "Long and Lonesome.. is a show-stopper, IBMA Winners The Spinney Bros. "Sally's Waltz" and songwriting great and mentor Mickey Newbury who used Cris's "What if Frankie Doesn't Like It" as a segue on his masterful "Long Road Home". "As Usual The Unusual" this CD veers from Mexicali dreaminess : "She Reminded Me of You" thru the jazzy tribute to "Amy", on to The IBMA Blues, a true tale from the picker's hotel during those awards in Louisville (with Jim and Emory in full flight), also includes a gunfighter ballad "The Big Chill", a blues "The Luck of the Draw" and a trip to Louisiana for the dark "Drive-Thru Daquiri Bar", with a few more stops in between. It features a dazzling cast of musicians : Keith Glass (Prairie Oyster, Lynn Miles) Guitar and Vocals, Dennis Pendrith (Vinyl Café) on String Bass, Al Cross (Big Sugar) Drums and Special Guests Jim Hurst (Claire Lynch) : Guitar and Vocals, Don Rooke (The Henry's, Mary Margaret O'Hara) : Steel Guitar, Steve Conn : Cajun Accordion, Emory Lester (Steve Martin) : Mandolin/Fiddle, Brad Emmons : Guitar and Vocals, Bob Taillefer : Pedal Steel Guitar, Roly Platt : Harmonica and Denis Keldie : Accordion. As with his previous recordings Cuddy's ace harmonica pal Roly Platt has used his graphic artist skills to produce another stunning cover from a striking image by photographer Wayne Eardley, as well as blowing the top off "The Luck of the Draw" All in all an intriguing collection of songs recorded "live off the floor" with a sterling ensemble and embellished by exceptionally talented musical friends.
