Taxi Chain: Smarten Up!
Label: Northern Blues (2004)
Provenance: Canada
Genre: Instrumental/vocal original Bagpipe Funk
Pix: Buck A Joy, Tandoori Mustache, Zimbobby
Web: www.taxichain.com
Comments: Taxi Chain arose from the old experimental pipe band Rare Air sometime in the mid 90s and it's been a while since I've seen a new album. This one juxtaposes and sometimes fuses Celtic, blues, world and a little country via bagpipes, saxophone and a lot of bass. Perky and often Morphine-esque heavy duty, Grier Coppins both plays the pipes and sings, so you either get pipes or vocals on a given track. Each hat has its own impact, but sometimes I think that they would complement each other to good effect.. What can you do???!?! There are probably better (but maybe not more fun) blues bands, so the album has its ups and downs; the best tracks are in the middle. A fun CD and loud too!

The Mammals: Evolver
Label: Humble Abode (2002)
Provenance: US
Genre: Nuevo Old Time/Alt Country
Pix: The House Carpenter, Lady Margaret, Infinite Medley
Web: www.themammals.net
Comments: This alternative banjo-fueled old-time band was the hit of the good old boys at Folk Alliance, proving they really arent the stodgy old critters you thought they were! The vocals are flat and the playing spirited; though heavily rooted in tradition, the tracks have that Road Kill edge that is so endearing to kids of all ages. Some selections are starkly traditional and fast (which I like best) and others are original...the contemporary and somewhat whiney vocal tracks are...um...contemporary and, though still quirky, tend to lack the obvious punch of some other tracks....here might be a place to go check the mailbox for your refund check. There's also a pleasant cover of Vincent Black Lightning. The track at the end is electric and apocalyptic.

The Carnivaleros: Step Right In!
Label: RootaVega (2003)
Provenance: US
Genre: EthnoRoots Party Music
Pix: The Die Was Cast, Hang 'Em High Tango (slow)
Comments: The Carnivaleros contain half of the celtic-mex Mollys and continues along sort of on the same path as the old band. Basically a multi-ethnic party-album containing polka, eastern European, cajun and Mexican stuff as well as old style rock, pitting former Molly Drummer Gary "Mail Box" Mackender now on accordion against electric guitar, pedal steel, heartfelt percussion, and saxophone. The production sounds unusually honest, which is GOOD, because it still sounds professional. You can imagine yourself right out there on the dance floor. A couple times Gary's bright accordion sounds like he's holding it right up against the mike in his living room (which is where most of the album was recorded!), in my opinion this is the paragon capture of accordion music. On the other hand there are a couple (2) times that the mix might have been done a little different. All instrumental and original, most pretty perky (except for this one pseudo-tango), and I wish Catherine Zavala was singing!
Web: www.carnivaleros.com

Black 47: New York Town
Label: Gadfly (2004)
Provenance: US
Genre: Punky Irish
Pix: San Patricio Brigade, Livin In America 2
Comments: One of the best and loudest of American Irish bands, Black 47 incorporates about everything from Ska-punk to jazz to....?, an effective overlay to Dubliners style pub music. Some of the tunes are new, others are from Irish faves like Foggy Dew, but the lyrics are all original and refer to New York City. NYT reminds me of the movie In America that I saw on the SAS flight to Copenhagen. I kept shutting it off because I couldnt deal with the urban intensity of it, the passions of living crowded together in old city spaces. Why do people live there, why don't they move to Portland where they can hike and not pay sales tax? What a punch, though, what effective first-person stories and descriptions! Someone called up on my radio show, too, and said "That's just excellent," and I thought he was going to burst into tears. On the other hands, NYT has its Celtic influence ups and downs and lead Larry Kirwin's voice is whiney. Loud and often fast. Contains a heartfelt WTC song for disaster anniversaries.
Web: www.black47.com

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The Columbia Gypsy