Gene Butler
Concrete Country

Label: VAV

Review By Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck
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  I love the way this album starts with "Momma Wish I'd Listened to You." You know the singer is in trouble when he starts the proceedings locked up in a jail cell with black-eyed peas starring him in the face. So it goes when you don't listen to what momma said.

Gene Butler sings some Concrete Country songs like the intro track then turns on that in your face country charm on "Cold, Cold, Cold Woman." Music and songs like this are next-door neighbors to the blues, it is an undeniable fact that country is one of the many styles of music that developed a life all its own from the genre. I find myself grinning from ear to ear when I hear songs like that for some reason. I am always able to find the humor in an otherwise potentially painful situation. Guess it's your own choice to look at the lighter side of life this way, I have a feeling the singer sure is.

Some fine musicians back Butler on every track on this album, besides his harmonica, guitar, and vocals, he gets some stellar support from some foot stompin' fiddle players like Doug Atwell and Brantley Kearns. Billy Da Mota and Gurf Morlix (also plays the bass and provides vocals) adds some great guitar licks, and we cannot discount the importance of the pedal steel in a country song- Danny Dugmore provides that and does a fine job. Mike Bannister and Phil Mantano beat the skins to provide the bottom end for everyone and Amy Penny and Lucinda Williams (recognize that name?) add some vocal parts. I thought it was important to mention everyone that contributed to this effort and certainly, without all of their support, Butler would not have pulled this off in such a big way. hear

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