WACKY, ROOTSY, PEACHY

Tony Peyser
Mirror contributing writer

   A while back, I gave you the 411 on Twango Bango Deluxe, an endearing indie album by master guitarist David Lindley and nifty percussionist Wally Ingram. Since then, I mentioned Lindley’s splendid work on The Blind Boys Of Alabama’s breakthrough gospel blues album, Spirit Of The Century. Well, I’m happy report Lindley & Ingram’s Twango Bango II is also available for your auditory consumption. 
   Virgin and Tower don’t have this as an official category to file albums under, but I like to call this kind of music Goofball Global Boogie. It includes wildly original songs like “Methlab Boyfriend” (what a title!) and then a traditional tune like “Oh Death.” 
   Call me crazy but I vastly prefer Lindley’s version than the one Ralph Stanley did on the “O Brother Where Art Thou?” soundtrack. It’s equally spooky but restrained, under, as opposed to over the top. There’s also “Little Green Bottle,” a seductive track about pharmaceutical hijinks that sounds like it was lifted from Matthew Perry’s personal playlist. Along with the rest of the album, this track packs some serious fun. 
   Another entertaining new effort is Eric Straumanis’ Thunder and the Plains. Hailing from Iowa, his album is on Trailer Records whose top gun, Bo Ramsay, is Lucinda Williams’ guitarist. “Center of the Town” feels like something off an early Bruce Springsteen album with its tale of guys with local waitresses on their minds and wanderlust in their hearts. And that 12-string guitar gives it a Byrds feel, too. The title track reminded me of “City Of New Orleans,” the lyrical Steve Goodman song that Arlo Guthrie had his only hit with back in 1972. In a pretentious music world dominated by dumb pop, Straumanis is an unpretentious guy making some smart rock. 
   Out here on our coast, another musical practitioner worth noting goes by the name of Peach. Years ago at The University of Denver, she was accompanied on piano by one of President Bush’s top advisors: Condeleezza Rice. (While Rice is quite the political animal, her name rarely comes up in music reviews.) I figured I’d like Peach’s CD just from the cover because it had a unique advisory sticker —- Warning: Accordion Solo Inside. That’s a laugh out loud line. The five-song EP reveals Peach to be a confident singer with a bluesy, been-around voice. Her back-up band includes musicians who’ve played with contemporary bluesman Keb’ Mo’ and she fittingly covers two of his songs: the poignant “I’m On Your Side” and the pulsing “That’s Not Love,” which both have great horn sections behind them. “The Cure For You” is a down-tempo, jazzy and sultry look at getting over an ex which is fittingly sung with a smoky lilt to her voice. The bottom line on Peach? She’s got The Raitt Stuff. 
   Twango Bango II is twenty bucks and can be found at www.davidlindley.com, Miles Of Music has Thunder and the Plains for $13 and The Cure For You can be found at McCabe’s Guitar Shop for just for $8.99. 
   The Goofy Band Name Of The Week is … Vlad the Inhaler.