Customer Reviews

Bar Ballads & Cautionary Tales

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Everything in my review for their first album goes here, too, plus. The Ribeyes make 99% (and perhaps more) of the bands these days sound pitifully lame (which they are). The poet laureates of everyone who's not a smiling, smug, in-crowd winner conformist.

The best songs on this sonic exposition are indeed the two tracks which bear some resemblance to the CD title: "From The Floor" and "Death Or Greyhound" are miasmic tales of hangovers on the brink and full blown.
Tim Cronin's foreboding voice warns us of the endless detours called Life. The thing coulda used some high harmony to take the rusted, rough edge off the vocal attack, though. A little June Carter sweetening in the beer batter.
The opener, "Nothing To Show You", is uptempo, like the rest of the set. Good, adventuresome lyrics countered by a somewhat monotone lead vocal, in the spirit of the whole opus. Right away you get some Insane Clown Posse flavoring, with maybe a few zaps of Zappa in the mix.
"Turpentine" might be considered Beatle-esque - has the whirling in-and-out sound from their pyschedelic period. Need a lyric booklet here, Brothers. There are a few occasions here where the (pause) slightly illucid verse isn't helped by a very low lead vocal mix.
Artwork on the package conveys a message the wasteland is out there if you want it and neighborhood bars, diners where the wait staff buses the tables and serves the omelettes in one swift motion, and abandoned cars in forgotten lots can only welcome you in.
Some of the sounds are so severe, you may need a designated listener.

Tim Cronin has a voice like Makers Mark Whiskey being poured on roadrash. Painfully comforting, you might say. These guys are brilliant and politically perfect in every way. Buy their record.