Dark Side of a Small Town by Michael O’Neal—This Texan has an expressive voice reminiscent of John Prine to these furry ears, and a bagful of ominous songs. The sound is country, vocally stark with understated, tasteful accompaniment. If you love the songs, you’ll love this record. If you only like the songs, you’ll like this record. That’s just about where I am with this one. Also, because of his distinctive vocals, I would have liked more variety in the sound, more harmonies, that kind of thing. 3 bottle caps out of a possible 4. Walking Among the Living by Jon Randall (Sony Nashville)—I’ve been listening to this CD on and off for about a month, trying to figure why I can’t get excited about it. Jon Randall’s a pro, appearing on Grammy-winning records. The singing and playing are top notch, and the songs are pleasant enough and heartfelt. He’s on the Americana Music Association Chart and the XM Radio X Country chart, so people are digging Walking Among the Living. Nothing to complain about. But this is 3 ½ bottle caps to me—pretty darn good, really–but maybe you’ll take it to the 4 bottle cap area when you hear it.
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