Customer Reviews

Old Dogs

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We love this newest collection on CD. Bill Staines has an instant classic with this album of songs old and new. We heard Bill unveil his new song, "Old Dogs," at a concert in October 2006, just a scant few weeks after he had composed it and before he had even written it down. It is graced with an immediately attractive and indelible melody that becomes more lovely with each hearing, and like so many of his songs the words leap straight from his heart to yours. Anyone who has ever had a dog as a companion, and empathized with the canine as he/she grew to senior status, will instantly warm to this tiny masterpiece. We left humming that tune that evening. Bill kindly corresponded with us after that on the song, and when the CD became available in 2007 at another of his concerts, we jumped at the opportunity to grab it.

The rest of the songs are no less vital and glowing - whether they are Bill's music and words, or covers of the songs of others that Bill has nonetheless made his own, they embrace the listener with hope, longing and sweet melancholy. He has a special gift for bringing the characters that populate his songs to glowing life - when he tells of the nostalgic small-town hallucinations of his "Uncle Sam," the dissolute ramblings of poor old "Cody," or the imperfect but well-lived and -loved life of "Mama Lou," he reconstructs their plights right there in your soul, lets you know them, lets your empathy flow. He gently positions the listener to "walk a mile in their shoes." The selection of songs he sings, and the way he sings them, make him an ambassador for the understanding of others, especially those whose lives, at their ends, may not have gone as they'd hoped.

His mellifluous voice and dextrous instrumentals never miss the mark, and like his other albums, this one has become a frequent companion both at home and on road trips to favorite places old and new. This album repeats only one song from previous efforts, "Sweet Wyoming Home," and as far as I'm concerned you cannot have enough of that one (it is among my very favorites). The rest are welcome new additions to his recorded repertoire. Thank you, Bill, for keeping us good company, and for timeless music that, like the old dogs who live on in our hearts, will forever be young.

Bill Staines' OLD DOGS provides some great listening to one of America's best folk singers. The flavor of his songs is timeless, and he offers up a variety of tunes in this album, in typical Bill Staines fashion. It's great to see both Guy Van Duser doing some of the lead guitar work, and also Staines' son, Bowen (who now has his own CD out) handling lead guitar on the CODY tune. A nice mix of songs penned by Staines, along with some from other artists, including Norman Blake, Guy Clark, and Elizabeth Cotten. Nice fingerpicking by Staines on Cotten's FREIGHT TRAIN piece.
Dog lovers will no doubt appreciate the sentiments expressed in the title song. Very enjoyable listening for this long-term Bill Staines fan.

Besides the fact that our dog is getting old; looks just like the dog on the c.d. cover; and my husband loves this kind of folksy music (and his dog!), we think this is a great collection of music.