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Eagle & The Snake: Songs of the Texians

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Brian Burns has taken Texas by storm. His music just keeps getting better and better. If you're lucky enough to see him live, you are in for a treat. Look for him at The White Elephant saloon in Fort Worth, Texas.

"The Eagle and the Snake: Songs of the Texians" has some of the best Texas ballads around, some old, some new. His songs really invoke some good memories and images of Texas, while at the same time bringing a sadness over the loss of the untamed "wild west" days gone by.

1. Man Walks Among Us. A great Marty Robbins classic redone with some great guitar licks.

2. El Llano Estacado. What a great song. It tells a story of a man out to prove his love, but dying out on the old desert of Texas, a "victim of a woman's whim."

3. Ballad of the Alamo. Another rousing classic song. It really puts all the story of the Alamo into one awesome legend.

4. Goliad. A sad song, but still good. A remembrance to those who were killed.

5. Evangelina. A great love song set to some wonderful music.

6. Gallo Del Cielo. This has got to be my favorite on the album! It tells the story of a mexican man who crosses the border with a fighting chicken, determined to gamble up enough money to buy back the land stolen from his family by Pancho Villa. It's a good song that gets you all pumped up. That is, until El Sueco meets his sad fate...

7. The Crash at Crush. A good Johnny Cash-style train wreck song. "Clickety clack, clickety clack, wheels a-rumblin' on the railroad track!"

8. I've Been Everywhere (In Texas). Ha! The best version of this song there is. Who cares about the rest of the world? Let's just travel around Texas, man! "See what I mean-a?"

9. Well of the Blues. Gary P. Nunn shows up on this song to sing about whiskey and "drankin". If you want to hear a good blues song about being down and out, feeling sorry for yourself, and getting drunk, here you go. Personally, it's a little too "down" for me. That's the point of blues music though, and they do a good job here. The best line of the song: "Even Judges forget the law."

10. Walker Behind the Wheel. Another sad song about a fizzled-out ex-band member drinking in the bars. It's not bad, but I had already made up my mind to stay away from alcohol forever after listening "Well of the Blues."

11. A Cowboy's Prayer. Here's the gist of it: "I'm tired and worn out and don't want to be a cowboy anymore." Not one of the best songs on the album. It's alright, though. It's just that after the last 2 songs, I kinda don't want to be depressed anymore.

12. Third Coast. This a really good song, one of the best on the album. To me it's a personal song about a guy who got totally screwed up, messed up his life, then figured out what was important to him in life and decided to keep his head up and give it his all. It ends on a hopeful note, with a little swearing thrown in for good measure. It's great.

13. The Last Living Cowboy. A good song, kind of a sci-fi song. What is going to happen to the history of Texas? Will anyone remember the days of cowboys and the wild west? What is going to happen when the world is covered with cities and people and there is no more wild, untamed places left to visit? When you can't go anywhere without seeing cars and telephone poles and billboards? It's a good question, and he puts it into a wistful song of days gone by, written from the standpoint of a cowboy living in the year 2144.

13. BONUS: Big John. Don't forget the uncredited song at the end about Big Bad John!

Thanks to my dad, Kenny Woodall, for taking me to see B.B. and just for being my dad. I wish the best for you.

Brian Burns has created a gem with The Eagle and the Snake: Songs of the Texians. This CD defies classification. It's not country, it's not rock, it's not folk....What it is....is a love letter to the state of Texas.

Burns knows that the spirit of the Texas Revolution lives on and pays respect to the patriots who died at the Alamo and Goliad to bring freedom to the Lone Star State. He nods to our love of the outdoors and all that is wild (Man Walks Among Us). He revels in our tendency to tell tall tales (Gallo del Cielo) and (El Llano Estacado) and he understands our compelling need to make a fast buck (The Crash at Crush). Burns has been to south Texas and understands that the border isn't a line in the sand but a magical place with a culture all its own (Evangelina).

Most importantly, Burns pays homage to the spirit of Texas his cover of Larry Joe Taylor's Third Coast, the story of a broken down, used up, outlaw sailor who limps into Texas and finds a home among people who always, above all else, look at the glass as half full, even when you can turn it over without spilling a drop.

Burns clearly loves Texas, and so do I. If you do, you'll like the Eagle and the Snake.

Stephanie Renee's raw talent is unmistakeable. An album with spoken word to make you think, beautiful renditions of classics that will make you cry and beats to keep your head bouncin'. A highly recommended addition to every true neo-soul lover's collection.

this cd should be called "a journey of sounds and words". from the opening meditation(which i definately need during rush hour)to the beat box inspired spoken word track, this cd has somethin for every lover of music.oh did i mention a capella arrangemnts that would make sweet honey' say ummm..i haven't taken it out of my changer since i bought it. Nuff said.

Tuning forked tounge is a must buy if your into music. This ablum is something you can ride to, sleep to, are even just sit and listen. You can learn from this album if you listen to lyric's and you will find yourself definetly listening to the lyric's because you will find yourself in the song yourself just following along without knowing.

Tuning Forked Tongue is the perfect CD for those of us that truly appreciate musicianship, all too hard to find in this day of cookie cutter music. From funky grooves, to soulful seduction and back again to bring powerful messages of upliftment. TFT delivers it all, blessing us with samples of Stephanie Renee's amazing vocal range, in addition to her lyrical dexterity as a gifted spoken word artist. In a field full of imitators, she stands apart beautifully!