"Album & Demo Reviews"
Sponsored In Part By
by Pam West...
James Rider • FourTwenty a.m.
No. 9 Mgmt., 7422 Belden St., Philadelphia, PA 19111
Soulful and raw, eclectic country from Austin's James Rider. Bluesy and
back-porch ballsy, these ten guitar and bass-driven tracks demonstrate
Rider's tell-it-like-it-is sensibility with animated storytelling and acoustic
genius. "Keep It Simple" is an example of his fun, up-tempo Americana,
while some songs are tempered with softer acoustic sound -- all flavored
with some light, traditional harmonies, mandolin, harmonica, and fiddle.
I loved the happy little song about death, "Last Will & Testament."
by Dennis Katsanis...
Bronwen Barnett
492 East 4th Ave., Salt Lake City, UT 84103
This doe-eyed beauty’s voice is an unbelievable combination of heartbreak,
power and subtlety, in the Pasty Cline mode. A triple threat, she writes,
sings and delivers the goods on a well tuned, fully polished collection
of country flavored pop. Fittingly, her Carlene Carter style road song
"Just Drive On" shows off her sassy and playful side in a revved up city-billy
style that’s firing on all cylinders and taking every turn on two wheels.