Country and bluegrass musicians have a long and rich history of portraying themselves as loveable simpletons as opposed to modern day rock stars with their laughable self indulgence. Minnesota folksman Charlie Parr isn't one to draw attention to himself by his own word; he lets his music do the talking instead. Yeah, that's all fair and well, but how is the album?
To blues and country fans this release will be nothing not heard before but will probably still draw praise. After all, were it not for the clear sound it would be anyone's guess as to when this was recorded.
Parr's lyrics speak of the expected country music vices - God, the devil and agriculture. His voice, too, is well in sync with the porch musicians of the Deep South. Granted, Parr's musical virtuosity is surely well above that of the average porch picker but somehow you get the feeling that Parr's lyrics are largely subordinate to his music, which results in well-structured national guitar-driven journeys with decidedly murmured lyrics in the passenger seat. It's not until a rendition of Blind Willie Johnson's "God Moves On The Water" that we really hear Parr burst a lung.
Complete with cardboard CD case, this release has a real honest feel to it. Parr's playing is flawless while his songs struggle to define themselves as anything other than ordinary. If you're of the ignorant sort that turn their nose up at traditional folk and blues then you're probably going to keep your change in your pocket. Otherwise, it's a decent effort.