Gene Butler: Concrete Country

By Keith Hannaleck

I love the way this album starts with “Momma Wish I’d Listened to You.” You know the singer is in trouble when he starts the proceedings locked up in a jail cell with black-eyed peas starring him in the face. So it goes when you don’t listen to what momma said.

Gene Butler sings some Concrete Country songs like the intro track then turns on that in your face country charm on “Cold, Cold, Cold Woman.” Music and songs like this are next-door neighbors to the blues, it is an undeniable fact that country is one of the many styles of music that developed a life all its own from the genre. I find myself grinning from ear to ear when I hear songs like that for some reason. I am always able to find the humor in an otherwise potentially painful situation. Guess it’s your own choice to look at the lighter side of life this way, I have a feeling the singer sure is.

Some fine musicians back Butler on every track on this album, besides his harmonica, guitar, and vocals, he gets some stellar support from some foot stompin’ fiddle players like Doug Atwell and Brantley Kearns. Billy Da Mota and Gurf Morlix (also plays the bass and provides vocals)  adds some great guitar licks, and we cannot discount the importance of the pedal steel in a country song- Danny Dugmore provides that and does a fine job. Mike Bannister and Phil Mantano beat the skins to provide the bottom end for everyone and Amy Penny and Lucinda Williams (recognize that name?) add some vocal parts.  I thought it was important to mention everyone that contributed to this effort and certainly, without all of their support, Butler would not have pulled this off in such a big way.

I am not a big country fan but sometimes there is enough rock and a taste of the blues to bring out the latent cowboy in me.

Reviewed - May 8, 2007

Tracks:

01. Momma Wish I'd Listened to You (1:00)
02. Cold, Cold, Cold Woman (2:20)
03. Don't Say Don't (2:01)
04. In This Lonesome City (3:01)
05. Love's the Real Thing (3:25)
06. This House That We Live In (4:23)
07. God's Fallen Star (3:20)
08. You Go On Anyway (3:22)
09. Rip Cord (4:15)
10. Ride That Train (2:33)

About the Author:

Keith Hannaleck, known as “MuzikMan” is a Journalist specializing in independent and major music reviews and the promotion of artists via the various media outlets flourishing online. He has worked closely with artists, management, publicity directors, and webmasters to provide some of the best and far-reaching coverage an artist could have. Focusing primarily on the internet as a medium for his work, Keith has been a pioneer in the industry changing the way a reviewer with his various talents are used by many artists, PR folks, and labels. He has provided strong and valuable work to labels, artists, and publicity people, writing reviews, press releases, and biographies and much more over the years, giving the people he works with the maximum amount of exposure through several top-notch websites that post his content on their sites.

Hannaleck built and maintained his own website in 1998 while networking and building his reputation through thousands of reviews and interviews, creating a special niche for himself. Through many years of dedication and hard work, he has reached a respected level of competence and knowledge that is frequently sought by the music industry today. Known for his speaking from the heart interpretations of music and being able to put it in layman’s terms for music fans, his work is found everywhere in cyberspace and in traditional print media, from press kits to quotes from reviews in magazine advertisements.

© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck - http://www.muzikreviews.com.