Customer Reviews

You Can't Save Everybody

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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"Nashville songwriter" is more often than not a euphemism for "shameless hack," a way of telling us that the individual in question scribbles forgettable ditties -- "positive love songs" (in the industry phrase) or chest-thumping jingoistic rants -- whatever the market or an audience of undiscriminating dunces calls for. There is, however, another side of Nashville, and that is where the likes of Kieran Kane and Kevin Welch live. Here music has roots and meaning, and both are abundantly in evidence in You Can't Save Everbody.

This isn't country music so much as the kind of folk sound shaped by Woody Guthrie in the 1940s and refined in the 1960s by the likes of Bob Dylan. I'm sure Dylan would approve of Kane and Welch if he's heard them. The songs, though clearly modern, incorporate rural and traditional points of reference. Like the great authentic folk songs, they speak directly to life's most elemental concerns: faith, fear, hope, love, death, rage, and landscapes both natural and psychic.

These guys are too good to let any mediocre tunes mar the pleasure. Every song seems bound to grow on you with each successive listening. Three stand out immediately, at least for me. One is Kane's instrumental "Cecil's Lament," which sounds like an old Irish fiddle tune that long ago found its way to the Southern mountains. Anybody -- in this case Welch -- who would write a ballad titled "Jersey Devil" (concerning a genuine Garden State legend about a demonic winged creature) has my automatic approval. And if you lament the state of the nation, you will take to heart Welch's "Everybody's Working for the Man Again" and hasten to spread the message to your friends. "Everybody's Working" demonstrates that if the current state of the nation is good for nothing else, at least it has done wonders for the old-fashioned folk protest song. This is one biting, satisfying example.

This trio recently played a tiny club in my hometown.There might have been 40 people there.That didn't seem to bother them at all.They put on a superb ,intimate show and displayed incredible musicianship.Basically, they presented this recording as their first set.Great songs,skilled playing.To my taste ,it is approaching perfection.Everyone that I have played this CD for has purchased it. Highly Recommended!!!

Think male version of Gillian Welch, then maybe add a little acoustic Mark Knopfler or JJ Cale and you've got a gist of this neat warm production. Or if you know the gentle country/cowboy art of Peter Rowan and Don Edwards, you're also in the right ballpark. No grandstanding here, just sincere original music making, with one catchy instrumental and eleven songs that tell stories, make comments about life's essentials and just let you relax. They're fine songs too - it would hard to say any one is better than the others.

These two Nashville guys have made their own solo or band albums (Kieran is ex-O'Kanes) but after a Live in Melbourne album this is their first studio album together. It represents an alternative Nashville, not the glitzy country music, but honest-to-goodness rural music in the great tradition of Woody Guthrie. Both guys play guitar and mandolin while Kieran plays banjo as well. Both also have really smooth voices. Fats Kaplin provides stylish minimalist accompaniment on accordion, banjo, guitar and fiddle.

The musicianship here is wonderful, with a togetherness that conjures up memories of "Brother Where Art Thou", especially in the opening title track. All are clearly at ease with each other and the music flows with great precision and plenty of soul.

An unpretentious gem that will grow on you with each listening.

I listen to a lot of different music, including a tons of roots/acoustic/folk. However, I'd not encountered these musicians before, and can't figure out why. It's getting a lot of play at my house (and in my car, and at work).

This is a wonderful recording, with fine songs, beautiful instrumentaion and completely engaging singing. It's hard to know what to compare it to -- the first cut on the CD could have come off the "O Brother Where Art Thou" recording; "Working for the Man" might have been written by Pete Seeger had he lived to see the triumph of Haliburton and chain radio stations; there's a down-and-out song that makes a sly reference to wanting someone to sing Long Black Veil with; and so on. Every one a winner.

Both the playing and singing are supurb. It's primarily two guitars and fiddle (with assorted other bits), tasteful, accomplished, interesting and never over-the-top. I don't find very many male voices as engaging as these two, mostly singing their own songs, sometimes providing harmony for their partner. The singing is precise but rich and filled with soul and understanding.

Don't wait, get it now.

Kane and Welch, with help from multi-instrumentalist buddy Kaplin went into a studio, sat around a microphone and recorded a dozen new and old tunes. The result is bottled magic and one of the best Americana/folk albums of the year.

Kane and Welch, old buddies who formed Dead Reckoning Records before it was popular to have your own label, take turns as songwriters with one cover, Welch's dramatic vocal on Ron Davies's "Dark-Eyed Gal."

Indeed, it's the lyrics and the heartfelt singing that takes center stage amid the subdued acoustic instrumentation of the album.

Listen to Welch, who is a longtime favorite of mine, fervently wish to live "Til I'm Too Old to Die Young" so he can watch his children grow to see what they'd become. Or hear his barely contained anger on the rousing "Everybody's Working for the Man...Again:" "The broadcasters bought off the FCC. Big oil's got the EPA. Halliburton, Halliburton, Halliburton, what else do you have to say?" Kane scores on the easy rolling of "Somewhere in the Middle" and "You Can't Save Everybody."

Indeed, you can't but this hauntingly beautiful, topical and alluring album might save your musical soul this year. No wonder it's been a darkhorse entry atop the Americana charts for months.

I agree with the previous reviews. Good stuff here. Outdoor, homey country without a lot of frills sums up this CD nicely. Heartfelt, down home, get in touch with your roots kinda stuff. You won't find any of that spit and polished, over produced, top forty, nashville crap from the FM radio here. Just two solid artists pouring their hearts into yours via their instruments and voices. Highly recommended.

Thank you Amazon. This CD came up as a "recommended for you because...." selection and I'm glad it did. These guys play from the heart and play really well. Every cut is different but each conveys the same roots feel for life, love and loss. Went right out and bought "Lost John Kane".,...gotta make up for lost time.

I first saw Kieran Kane and Kevin Walsh playing a lunch time gig in Basement Discs store in Melbourne. Love them! This album epitomises the thoughtful, meaningful lyrics always associated with Kieran Kane. A highly recommended CD.

The writing and musicanship of this CD grow on you as you listen to it over and over again. My wife got hooked on this CD and listened to it many times. My experience was the same. The "Calling" cut stays in my mind. I am a musician and Banjo builder and love the solid, subtle Banjo playing.
Kevins writing is fantastic as always. I have puchased and given this CD to several friends. Keep em' coming guys!
R. J. "Banjo Bob" Brown.

Best music I've heard in ages. Very well written songs with genuine emotional force. 'O Brother' fans will love this.