TOO SLIM AND THE TAILDRAGGERS - THE FORTUNE TELLER
(CD Review by D.M. Wells)
Some people might get bored eating at the same restaurant, despite its delicious and diverse menu, but Too Slim and The Taildraggers’ reliable musical offerings have always appealed to me, without exception, and in whichever genre they explore.
Prolific composer/vocalist/bluesharpist/guitarist (slide, acoustic and electric) Tim “Too Slim” Langford strikes me as a sort of mystic southern U.S. cowpoke, even though his real roots are in Spokane, Washington. That being said, he’s equally at home rockin’ your plimsoul as he is when playing country blues.
Longtime drummer John “Midnight” Cage has stepped out on this recording, replaced here by the equally adept and perky Zach T. Cooper. Solid bassist Dave Nordstrom, who replaced Tom “The Stomp” Brimm a couple of CDs ago, completes Tim’s core playing team.
Prolific composer/vocalist/bluesharpist/guitarist (slide, acoustic and electric) Tim “Too Slim” Langford strikes me as a sort of mystic southern U.S. cowpoke, even though his real roots are in Spokane, Washington. That being said, he’s equally at home rockin’ your plimsoul as he is when playing country blues.
Longtime drummer John “Midnight” Cage has stepped out on this recording, replaced here by the equally adept and perky Zach T. Cooper. Solid bassist Dave Nordstrom, who replaced Tom “The Stomp” Brimm a couple of CDs ago, completes Tim’s core playing team.
Bonus instrumentation comes courtesy of guests Oleg Schramm on accordion and keyboards, and Robert Greenidge adds a Latino flavour with steel drums. Lauren Evans and Amanda Tsubo add pleasing and non-intrusive backing vocals, and D. Cernile (one of the five co-producers, including Tim’s wife, Nancy Langford) also provides guitar and percussion.
Tim’s tendency to absorb and meld his varied musical influences into a style of his own should garner him appreciation from fans of the Arc Angels, the Allman Brothers, ZZ Top, David Lindley, Creedence Clearwater Revival, T-Rex, Tom Petty, Frank Zappa, Junkhouse, Bad Company and Ray Bonneville, all wonderful recording artists in their own right (and very sadly missed, in some cases).
The Taildraggers’ super-forte lies in Mr. Langford’s introspective and comprehensive lyrics. Although his vocals have always been strong and masculine, he’s a masterful storyteller, creating vivid portraits of a motley crew of characters – the fortuneteller, the unremorseful snake oil seller, the pacifist-turned-vigilante, the guilty heartbreaker, the frustrated dreamer, the grateful gigolo, the sexy lover, the voodoo queen, givers and takers, and the lonely and the lonesome.
Veering away from the blues-rock anthem feel of the album is “Mexico”, a happy-go-lucky, enchanting holiday song featuring the above-mentioned steel drums, coupled with Tim’s trademark sassy slide guitar work. “Baby Likes to Ride” is another of those sexy tracks that first endeared me to them, but “Potent 8” (from King Size Troublemakers) remains my favourite score in that regard.
Another example of standout musical fare is the “Lonesome Alone” ballad, gently strummed on acoustic guitar with subtle accompaniment on accordion (which could easily be substituted with a harmonica). It recites a classic lovers’ conflict, “I’d rather be lonesome alone than lonesome with the one I love”, but with a plea to reach out and communicate rather than call it quits - very memorable.
“Cowboy Boot” and “The Fortune Teller” are already receiving airplay on KKZX 98.9 FM in Spokane, but the hard-driving “Big Guns”, “She Give Me Money” or “Spell on Me” would probably be even better received on a mainstream classic rock station. Still, each and every track on The Fortune Teller (or any other of the Taildraggers' numerous recordings) would blow a hole in most other “new classic rock” songs I’ve heard lately.
Tim’s tendency to absorb and meld his varied musical influences into a style of his own should garner him appreciation from fans of the Arc Angels, the Allman Brothers, ZZ Top, David Lindley, Creedence Clearwater Revival, T-Rex, Tom Petty, Frank Zappa, Junkhouse, Bad Company and Ray Bonneville, all wonderful recording artists in their own right (and very sadly missed, in some cases).
The Taildraggers’ super-forte lies in Mr. Langford’s introspective and comprehensive lyrics. Although his vocals have always been strong and masculine, he’s a masterful storyteller, creating vivid portraits of a motley crew of characters – the fortuneteller, the unremorseful snake oil seller, the pacifist-turned-vigilante, the guilty heartbreaker, the frustrated dreamer, the grateful gigolo, the sexy lover, the voodoo queen, givers and takers, and the lonely and the lonesome.
Veering away from the blues-rock anthem feel of the album is “Mexico”, a happy-go-lucky, enchanting holiday song featuring the above-mentioned steel drums, coupled with Tim’s trademark sassy slide guitar work. “Baby Likes to Ride” is another of those sexy tracks that first endeared me to them, but “Potent 8” (from King Size Troublemakers) remains my favourite score in that regard.
Another example of standout musical fare is the “Lonesome Alone” ballad, gently strummed on acoustic guitar with subtle accompaniment on accordion (which could easily be substituted with a harmonica). It recites a classic lovers’ conflict, “I’d rather be lonesome alone than lonesome with the one I love”, but with a plea to reach out and communicate rather than call it quits - very memorable.
“Cowboy Boot” and “The Fortune Teller” are already receiving airplay on KKZX 98.9 FM in Spokane, but the hard-driving “Big Guns”, “She Give Me Money” or “Spell on Me” would probably be even better received on a mainstream classic rock station. Still, each and every track on The Fortune Teller (or any other of the Taildraggers' numerous recordings) would blow a hole in most other “new classic rock” songs I’ve heard lately.
How many more awards does a band have to win to get international recognition for their talent?
2 comments:
lyrics for the fortune teller please?????
Please contact Nancy Langford at nancyelangford@mac.com for the lyrics.
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