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David Bromberg
Try Me One More Time
(Appleseed)
First Appeared in The Music Box, March 2007, Volume 14, #3
Written by John Metzger
As most purveyors of acoustic roots music are well aware, David Bromberg is
an extraordinarily gifted guitarist. The manner in which he plies his craft is
remarkable, and within his finely finger-picked patterns, as rhythm, bass, and
melody join together, he makes his intricate maneuvers sound effortless, the
mathematical facets of music wholly tangible. On his latest outing Try Me One
More Time — his first since 1990’s Sideman Serenade — Bromberg hits
all the requisite bases as he tackles tunes by the likes of Bob Dylan (It
Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry), Rev. Gary Davis (I Belong
to the Band and Trying to Get Home), Elizabeth Cotton (Shake
Sugaree), Robert Johnson (Kind Hearted Woman), and Blind Willie
McTell (Love Changing Blues). Somewhere along the way, however, it all
goes terribly awry.
It’s clear that Bromberg not only has a genuine affinity for the material but
also knows its history inside and out. Yet, his heart just doesn’t seem to be
into it. His vocals always have lagged behind his virtuosity, and throughout
Try Me One More Time, he struggles mightily to deliver the tunes in a
convincing fashion. Throughout the set, the warm intimacy that is established by
his solo arrangements is undone by the lack of passion in his vocals. Even
worse, the inclusion of cappella renditions of Moonshiner and Lonesome
Roving Wolves are untenable diversions that veer far from Bromberg’s
strengths. Still, there is a quiet beauty that lurks beneath the surface of the
collection, and it comes to the forefront on the instrumentals Buck Dancer’s
Choice and Hey Bub. In the end, though, there’s little on Try Me
One More Time that leaves much of a lasting impression.  ½
Try Me One More Time is available from
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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 © 2007 The Music Box
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