Regular Columnists

Artist: Pete Leary
Album: “The Saga of A Sensitive New Age Cowboy”
CD Review: Think Honky Tonk. Think smokey bar, domestic beer, pool tables, denim, cowboy hats. You get the idea. This is Merle Haggard country, old school you might say, with an enjoyable helping of humor. The songwriting is energetic and danceable for the most part and the humor in many of the songs helps make them memorable.

The title cut has some great lyrics about what constitutes a particular woman’s perfect man. It's pretty obvious she’ll have to look for a long time to find anyone with all the pairs of opposites she requires! “Talk Some Elvis To Me Baby” is one of my favorites, a great little dancehall number with a catchy tune and funny lyrics. It's also the longest song on this CD, clocking in at 3:38. Most are under three minutes. You would have to buy a speed metal record to get more songs packed on one CD!

There’s a great mood here in the recording. The songs aren’t slick or overproduced but there is a warmth and sincerity in the singing and playing that comes from good old talent. The pedal steel and dobro work is also a nice accent and very well played throughout various songs. They are enjoyable moreso because you can tell the people that played them are also enjoying themselves. I got the feeling that this is very much what these songs would sound like if I went to hear them live and I like that.

“Saga” was recorded at the same studio although to my ear some had different sound qualities than others. That’s the only downside I found. “Saga of a Senstive New Age Cobwoy” is a nice collection of country tunes well written and well played.

Pete Leary, P.O. Box 31184, Raleigh, NC 27622-1184