Reviewed by Mark Lawrence

Paul Land and Ray Hildebrand have been duetting since the early 1980s and though a long way from the hard sell maul of Nashville have carved out a niche for themselves with their rich, witty roots, folk and country music. This offering is a mixture of studio recordings and live tracks taken from their shows at Homers Coffee House in Kansas. Musically there's a bit of everything from country and folk to good ol' fashion rock n roll and the acapella "If We Don't Sing" which is reminiscent of an African ditty. Lyrically the album is equally as diverse with lyrics such as "I need some coleslaw, French fries, a pickle or two" from "Barbecue" sitting alongside songs about abortion and guilt. Throughout, the two veterans show oodles of songwriting craft and engaging bonhomie. However, at the end of the day music is about evoking a response and this CD certainly does that. With very little in a minor key it gets the toes tapping and can best be described as a whole lotta fun!

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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