Various Bluegrass & Blues Albums

Review By Steven Stone
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Robin And Linda Williams
Radio Songs

What would Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion be without Robin and Linda Williams? They've been musical staples on the show since its inception. Radio Songs serves up nineteen selections culled from their last twenty years of performances. Since the show is recorded live to tape with do-overs, delivering flawless performances and perfect mixes is nearly impossible, but, stealing a phrase from Garrison Keillor, you'll find every selection on Radio Songs to be well "above average."

Jeff Griffith
If It Ain't One Thing It's Another

From the first twangy telecaster licks If It Ain't One Thing It's Another delivers a delicious dose of hardcore traditional honky-tonkin' country music. Jeff Griffith's voice aches with remorse as he slides from note to note like a cowpoke wrestling down a greased heifer. Stylistically If It Ain't One Thing It's Another is a throwback to the late ‘50's, and for serious country traditionalists that's as refreshing as a cold Budweiser after choking down a Strawberry Daiquiri.

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Chris Stills
Chris Stills

Yes, he's the son of Steve Stills. So what? Now that we've gotten that out of the way we can approach Chris Still's freshman CD with unbiased ears. Chris has an impressive set of pipes, and his lyrics display an au-courant edge, which flirts with pretentiousness but never tumbles over into complete self-absorption. The arrangements are big-money slick, and the melodies hook-laden. So, if introspective pop-rock is your thing, Chris Still will hit the spot. 

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Claire Lynch
Crowd Favorites

Crowd Favorites is a collection of Claire Lynch's "most requested" songs from her Rounder Records Front Porch String Band releases. It includes her best original songs along with unique interpretations of standards such as "Wabash Cannonball." Because all but three cuts are available on earlier CDs longtime fans may choose to pass on its purchase. But anyone unacquainted with Claire Lynch's music will find Crowd Favorites to be a welcome addition to their CD library.