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Blackie and the Rodeo Kings
BARK
(True North)
First Appeared in The Music Box, August 2005, Volume 12, #8
Written by T.J. Simon
In the Spring of 2005, the contents of President George W. Bush’s iPod were
released to the White House press pool, and the results were pretty interesting.
The artists appearing on "iPod One" displayed a well-chosen variety of
boomer-friendly roots rock, classic country, and Americana artists including
George Jones, Alejandro Escovedo, John Hiatt, and John Fogerty, although in the
latter case, Fortunate Son presumably was omitted.
The presidentially endorsed MP3s also contained music from an obscure
Canadian alternative country outfit known as Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, and
the success of the group’s third album, which takes its acronym as its moniker,
can be attributed to its three capable and distinctive lead singers, who also
share songwriting duties. When Tom Wilson is at the helm, his vocals sound like
Tom Petty, and his best contribution is the Rockpile-inspired album opener
Swinging from the Chains of Love — a track that was highlighted on the
Presidential Playlist. On Colin Linden’s contributions to BARK, he evokes the
sound of Lyle Lovett, albeit with a tendency to belt his lyrics a bit too
forcefully. Linden’s songs are inevitably the weakest on the disc with the
exception of the enjoyable Willie’s Diamond Joe.
The crown jewel of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings' songwriting triad is Stephen
Fearing whose voice mimics a countrified Warren Zevon on the jangly You’re So
Easy to Love as well as on the compelling If I Catch You Cryin’. Fearing is also able to evoke the sounds of Richard Thompson and Pete Townshend
on the slow-tempo album highlight Song on the Radio. Another track
showcasing Fearing’s vocals that is worthy of attention is the cover of Bruce
Cockburn’s Tie Me at the Crossroads, which rocks like the Waco Brothers
cross-pollinated with Social Distortion.
Overall, BARK is a spotty effort with too many dead spaces in the album’s
middle (Stoned, Lock All the Doors, Had Enough of You Today, Born to Be a
Traveler), but the handful of tracks at the beginning and end of the disc
are, without exception, worth hearing. Fans of John Hiatt’s brand of
roots-and-blues rock will find themselves generally pleased with this effort —
regardless of their political affiliation.  ½
BARK is available from Amazon.com.
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Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2005
The Music Box
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