Customer Reviews

Stay Out Late With the Lucky Stars

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If you don't own a Lucky Stars cd yet, you're missing out big times! These guys are the number one maestros of western swing and country. Fantastic composers, professional players, this baby swings from number one to thirteen. Sage Guyton is the wittiest lyricist around, and Jeremy Wakefield the steel guitar guru alive these days. Besides this and the previous Lucky Stars "Hollywood & Western", I suggest you also get the solo works of J Wakefield, Biller and Wakefield, and the Bonebrake Syncopatros, featuring most of the Lucky Stars. and don't miss them live, thay're unbelievable!! Get it this moment, join in the fun, this will stand the test of time sharing the platter with all the classics

Imagine Sage Guyton's hability to sing and write songs combined with Jeremy Wakefield on steel and the support of Dave Stuckey on drums, Wally Hersom on bass and Russ Blake on guitar. Well, if you're into western swing this is the combination that would make your heart flip!
The album opens with «Rarin' to Go», the kind of song that takes no prisoner and you know you're not just listenin' to another album but a recording that could stand proudly near Hank Penny, Merle Travis, Tex Williams or Bob Wills in your collection. This band swings, I mean REALLY swings, they don't play country songs with steel on a rock beat, you see what I mean? Next song «Real Good Lookin'» gives us the occasion to salute the work done by guest musician Mike Bolger on trumpet, accordion and piano on this album. While we're talking about the musicians I must praise the quality of guitar player Russ Blake and his jazzy licks. The whole album is a proof that Sage Guyton is not only a fantastic singer but a genius in term of writing songs. Of course you can expect clever lyrics (Teacher's pet, Mama's got the rundown dady blues to name but two) but Sage is more than a guy who writes funny tunes. Just listen to «Out of your mind» and «My poor old haunted heart» (and if you don't cry on these one, you're not realy human). JW sings the two covers of this album «the Tattooed lady» and Cindy Walker's «Don't count your chicken» and the records ends on the instrumental «Stay out late» that could have been recorded by the Western Caravan.

I bought this because Joel Paterson of The Modern Sounds is a fan of these guys and has sat in with them on guitar. The music is authentic classic country sounding, energetic and fun. Lyrics are well written, songs are well constructed. My only problem with both of their CDs that I own is that the recording quality is not first rate, to me it sounds thin and harsh. Maybe that's the way they like it. Their talent level deserves better.

Bottom line though, it's a toe tapper and a very good CD. There aren't a whole lot of bands playing country in a classic style, it's refreshing to hear.

Good workman like western swing. Still I think I preferred their "Hollywood and Western" album. The later is a tad more fun, and western swing, or so it seems to me, has humour as an inherent element.