Rooster, by Charlie Parr (CD on Little Judges)

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Ya know those snappy, ancient folk/blues nuggets and dire, hill-country ballads you hear bearded, guitar-slingin’ duffers crankin’ out in cafes and taverns over on the West Bank? The ones you sometimes recognize as older-than-dirt, original versions of songs some of your favorite contemporary artists have covered? Well, Minnesota-based Eclectone Records picker/songwriter Charlie Parr can play ‘em all—from tunes Koerner, Ray & Glover cut their wizened old teeth on to tracks Memphis Minnie leered out over grinning lips, and lemme tell you, that ain’t no small feat.
Thing is, though he has that capability, that ain’t what ole Charlie’s all about. Nossireebob, Charlie writes all of his own music and lyrics and sings ‘em to boot—and unless you were a student of Alan Lomax or a Folkways library professor, you probably couldn’t tell the difference. That’s not to say Charlie doesn’t sound fresh, or exciting or life-affirming, because he’s all of those and more—it’s just amazing that a guy born after World War II can channel the raw, pure-dee soul satisfaction inherent in this type of pickin’ an’ grinnin’.

With song titles like “Ellen Mayhem,” “Wild Bill Jones,” “One Eyed Jack” and the title track, it’s clear right from the get-go that the listener is in for some fine, inspired story-tellin’ and Parr doesn’t disappoint. Though the tempo and pickin’ style (and type of guitar—from resonator to 12-string and even banjo from time-to-time) vary from track to track here, there’s one constant—Parr’s hypnotic, road-hardened pipes and the fascinating characters populating his soulful, heart-felt ditties.
Keeping in mind that the folks who originally saved this musical form from extinction (K,R&G are a great local example) back in the early ‘60s inspired such musical luminaries as Bob Dylan, John Prine and Bonnie Raitt, it’s great to know there are modern-day cats like Parr honoring and preserving it for yet another generation of appreciative musicologists and enthusiastic fans. Highly recommended for students of authentic American music and plain old good time pickin’ an’ grinnin’.
- THE PULSE

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