Brad Paisley “Play” Arista / Sony BMG

When Brad Paisley’s new CD “Play” arrived in my mailbox, at first glance I thought there had been some confusion about what music Roots Rock Review was trying to cover.

It’s not that I haven’t listened to and appreciated Brad Paisley’s music. It’s more a case of mainstream country, save a few acts in the mold of Alan Jackson, Marty Stuart and Paisley, has completely lost my interest in its push to compete with Pop music and its sales figures. For those reasons I’ve kinda lost touch with some of the genuine country artists on Top-40 Radio because it’s not worth wading through the rest of it.

Paisley’s single “Me Neither”, released from his debut album “Who Needs Pictures” was my first exposure to Paisley’s brand of Telecaster pickin’. At the time, his style of playing was, and still is, a breath of fresh air in a genre known for having session players take over the recording end of the business due mainly to economics. His playing was humorous, inventive and had a bit more drive than Nashville was typically known for at the time.

Not much has changed for the worse with Paisley’s guitar playing since those days when he still a relative newcomer on the scene. “Play” is packed full of catchy, guitar-hook laden instrumentals that pay tribute to some of guitar’s greatest stylists, all the while retaining Paisley’s unique approach to Telecaster chicken pickin’ and just a sprinkling of vocal songs that I’d expected the CD to be full of when I first got it.

“Kentucky Jelly” starts off acoustically and almosts leans to the Bluegrass side of things. However that changes when the band kicks in with a heavy Waylon-sounding back beat and when the chorus hits, it even recalls the triple guitar threat of the heydays’ Southern rock group, The Outlaws led by Hughie Thomasson.

“More Than Just a Song” is a touching tribute that features Paisley and the sorely missed Steve Wariner paying homage to their guitar mentors (Chet Atkins and Clarence “Hank” Goddard respecitvely) vocally as well as instrumentally — down to playing in the style of — and on — their mentors’ guitars on the cut.

“Cluster Pluck,” a high energy romp, features Paisley with some of the finest players to ever touch a Telecaster. James Burton of Elvis, Ricky Nelson and Emmylou Harris fame; Vince Gill, Steve Wariner, Albert Lee (who replaced James Burton in Emmylou’s band), Brent Mason (One of Nashville’s top session guitarists for the last two decades), Redd Volkaert (Merle Haggard) and John Jorgenson (Desert Rose Band, The Hellecasters, Elton John) trade licks “in the round” style, capturing a snapshot of some of the Telecaster’s greatest stylists in the last 40 to 50 years.

Then, there’s a the posthumous duet “Come On In” with Buck Owens. Paisley flew in Buck’s vocal, mandolin and dobro tracks from a demo that Owens cut in his Bakersfield office that was never destined to see the light of day otherwise. The world wasn’t left with enough Buck Owens music. Period!

Oh, and did I mention “Let The Good Times Roll” featuring “The King” himself. Yes, “The King of Beale Street” makes an appearance on “Play” as well. Paisley and B.B. King run through a boisterously smokin’ hot version of this classic.

Well it turns out the PR person from the record label who sent the CD did understand what Roots Rock Review is all about after all. Yeah, “Play” is a bit slick around the edges from a production standpoint, but the meat and potatoes of the CD are all about Paisley, some great instrumental songs with plenty of melodic content and his guests’ monstrous chops on the Telecaster (and Lucille). Who knows, maybe this is just the beginning of the return of the “instrumental” to the glory it once had in the genre’s earlier years.

Truth be told, I’m a self-admitted guitar junkie with a weakness for Telecasters and while I’ve mentioned my highlights on the disc, there’s really not anything on the CD that isn’t deserving of the term, “highlight.” If there was any doubt before, “Play” seals the deal.

Brad Paisley is definitely on the top shelf with the rest of Nashville’s Telecaster wielding, A-list guitar slingers.

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The Band of Heathens - “The Band of Heathens” (BOH Records)

As one of the writers for this website I have the privilege of checking out new music on a regular basis. Some of that new music is astonishing and some is less than desirable. There is much of it that fits in-between. It is an absolute thrill when I slide in a new disc, in my car or at home, and have a desire to crank it up from start to finish because it sounds so darn good. The debut disc from The Band of Heathens is one of those discs I have had an opportunity to crank up on numerous occasions since first listening.

The first point to cover is the disc is very adequately produced by Ray Wylie Hubbard. Ray is still best known for writing the classic song, “Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother.” That bluesy, rowdy, rootsy sound is still very much prevalent on this disc.

The next point is how much this disc sounds like wonderful bands I have embraced throughout the years, without ever sounding plagiaristic. At times I hear Beggars Banquet era Rolling Stones. I hear the Black Crowes at times. Even more interesting is how much they sound like Little Feat… a really good Little Feat. A band that is really popular now is Drive-By Truckers and those fans would embrace this disc as well.

For fans of acoustic guitars, Dobro, and lap steel, you definitely will love many of the songs on here. For fans of Faces style of loose, raucous, and groove-ridden rock you’ll get plenty of that. I am always a sucker fora great Hammond B-3 sound. If you love that sound, you’ll be glad to know there’s an abundance of that also.

Another point to touch on is the excellent songwriters these guys are. Many of these songs sound like an old classic song that would have blasted through FM stations back about 30-some years ago. From the PR sheet that accompanied the disc, it sounds like these guys are a terrific live band as well. They pack in the crowds in the Austin area clubs and I am here to proclaim, they appear to be on the verge of packing clubs all over the place.

The Band of Heathens offers up plenty of loose, raucous, and groove-ridden rock on their self-titled studio debut.

There are some very nice appearances on from Patty Griffin on vocals, Ray Wylie Hubbard on slide guitar and vocals, and Stephen Bruton playing mandolin on a couple songs. Bruton has played with Bonnie Raitt, Delbert McClinton, Bob Dylan, Waylon Jennings and many more. His list of musical accomplishments goes on forever, and he is a fantastic addition to this CD.

I happen to like every song on this disc! Its hard to pick out one that stands above the rest. However, I think I will attempt one song above the throng, “Cornbread.” I find this song irresistible and it makes me smile with an huge grin each time I hear it. Upon repeated listening, I’m not sure they are just singing about cornbread. Their tongues are planted firmly in their cheeks. Check out this song and find out what I’m talking about.

This is a very solid, enjoyable disc from an equally talented band. Do yourself and The Band of Heathens a favor and check them out. Musically, lyrically and performance wise this band has it all going for themselves. You will not be disappointed.

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