Customer Reviews

Still Lookin Good to Me

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A really nice, lo-fi alt-country CD. Dark and very atmospheric. Bits of it evoke Leonard Cohen, Lou Reed, and others, yet never strays from its basic sound. Excellent!

Now I had heard of Giant Sand and Howe Gelb over the years, and have heard some of the music through friends, and I liked it; but was never drawn to buy it, can't say I was a huge fan; until now.

A friend gave me this CD, the fourth by Howes' side project Blacky Ranchett. Holy cow! Was I missing out. I am a big fan of "The Court and Spark" and this CD has the same vibe. I am not sure if the rest of Blackys catalogue is a s good or if Giant Sand or Howes other music is as good but I am going to go back and purchase some other release by all of his bands.

"Still looks good to me" is and odd, stoned take on country music, no not the Shania Twain version of Country, but true grit country. It is infused with influences ranging from Captain Beefheart to Graham Parsons.

With a host of friends along for the ride, including a favorite of mine; the fabulous Neko Case. Now would Neko attach herself to something that wasn't great. Just look at her work as a solo artist or with the New Pornographers.

I really can't say enough about this CD, and I am sure I will be posting reviews of Howe Gelb's other releases under all his umbrella of bands.

Do yourself a favor and get some real music from a guy at the beginning of "alt-country," hell he may have even started it.

i really disagree with the critics review of this disc...none of the above mentioned artist (all very gifted) waste their talent here...this is just howe gelb conitinuing to do what he has been for the past decade...turning in some well written lo fi country style indie rock....and i'm giving the other artist the credit of knowing what a talented guy he is when they said 'yes' to helping out on this, his 4th album under the blacky ranchette moniker.

The latest and best of the Blacky releases. Howe Gelb brings the old boy back after all those years, this one, unlike BBRanchette and Sage Advice is more country than cowboy, and man does it work. "Train Singer's Song" may be my all time favorite HG tune, fantastic lyric and eye-moistening atmospherics. "Rusty Tracks" is classic Howefun with a Captain Beefheart reference, gotta love it. "Muss" is a field recording done at the Nashville airport complete with interruption from Tennessee trooper wanting to know what our heroes are up to. Of course, HG gladly leaves that conversation on the cut, hilarious. Gawd I love that guy. An absolutely wonderful cover(who else would do this?/and pay no attention to the man behind the curtain) of "Working On the Railroad" ending with a satisfied "Yeah". Give it a listen, you'll say "Yeah" too.

Oh yeah, anything Howe Gelb touches is sure to be interesting. Still Lookin' Good To Me, the fourth album put out by one of Howe's many bands, The Band of Blacky Ranchette, is in a word, awesome. As always, he plays with some excellent musicians, Joey Burns and John Convertino of Giant Sand, Calexico and OP8, and Neko Case and John Rauhouse. Yee Haw!! If you like good music with a country-punk bent, then this is for you. And even if you don't, this is for you.