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$13.99 |
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The Town's Old Fair |
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Review by Ames Arnold - Plan 9 Records Richmond, VA
I know it's early but my guess is that this nifty little gem will be among my favorite CDs of 2004 come year's end. This five-piece out of South Boston is not really on to anything new and the musicianship is basic. But these guys have soul. Waltzing its way though songs of love and loss, Los Diablos is the kind of band that sounds pretty good come a lonesome midnight hour. Boasting Irish roots soaked in whiskey, bandleader Josh Lederman writes wonderful upbeat romantic tunes about the guy on the outside looking in. Maybe this guy is a little too drunk and at loose ends. Maybe the object of our hero's affections won't have squat to do with him. Maybe he's blue as all get out. But what the heck? Our boy is not griping. After all, there are a million dreams to hold on to or, as we hear in "Highrise," "maybe there's a sunrise for us in the end." Lederman and company sell these little tales with a kind of freewheeling carnival vibe that's stripped down and acoustic based. Beats from a bare bones rhythm section drive a mandolin, accordion and guitar and keep this thoughtful affair from drifting into the maudlin. Song titles such as "Your Bluest Friend," "I've Been Down So Long" and "Well The Days Go By" pretty much tell the story. There's also a song titled "Virginia" where our hero's girlfriend is "ironically named Virginia." I'm not sure where the Spanish band moniker comes from and the songs do have a certain sameness to them by the end of the set. But those are small quibbles. This CD is full of small celebrations, wildflowers and lonely, windswept streets. The songs found in OLD FAIR lay broken hearts on the line without apology or regret. Raise a glass to your everyday dreamer and check your cynicism at the door. |
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