Monday, February 7, 2011

STORYTELLER


Part street corner prophet and part good time buddy, Todd Snider, has been championing the overlooked and underappreciated for over 15 years, finally culminating in the folkie's career-spanning concert album that features a full band, although his hilarious banter and self-deprecating stories take center stage.

A live album like you've never heard before, The Storyteller captures Snider in his true element: onstage. Part Dylan and part Bill Hicks, the outspoken Snider has long established his concerts are more than just a set list. Todd Snider is an adept storyteller, and this album showcases his witty and intelligent musings on Americana.

Drawing inspiration from all over the musical map, from outlaws like Waylon Jennings to wise guy satirists like Randy Newman, Snider does not just imitate those geniuses, but manages to walk in their company. Snider is folk music's top wiseass, a tough-'n'-tender singer-songwriter who can play to the roadhouse crowd with boozy hard-luck narratives, great lyrics, and a tight band. While I will always feel that his best work was his debut, Songs From The Daily Planet, this album delivers country-folk and scorching bar-band numbers along with stories that will have you laughing in the aisle… or rolling on the floor.

His story on his high school football career is alone worth the price of the album, and funnier than most stand-up bits.

Go buy this now. One of these days, I'll post something on his debut, but you should buy that too. Right now. Go. Why are you still sitting there?

Packaging note-it's one of those gatefold cardboard packages, cut too tight for the CD-so be carful not to damage the disc when you're taking it out of the sleeve. Please musci biz-go back to the jewel case!

5 comments:

  1. DD ~
    I wanna borrow this one ASAP. Next Friday?...

    [A "true" friend would have left it for me LAST Friday[;o)

    "8 Greatest Debut Albums" Blogfest?

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Loyal American Underground'

    Verification Word: "Parybeal"
    Don't know what it means but I like it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Who said anything about being a true friend?

    I listened to it a couple of times over the weekend, and lemme tell ya, even the stories you may not like his views on are still darn funny!

    Why only eight debut albums? I know of at least two we would have in common on our lists.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What? "Pseudo-Friend"?

    Well, I can only think of 8 debut albums that I would classify as "Great". Yes, I could come up with more if we changed it to "Good Debut Albums", but why stoop down to that level?

    In fact, one of my 8 probably isn't quite "Great", but "7 Great Debut Albums" doesn't rhyme at all.

    Yeah, I believe I know which two you have in mind, and they'd definitely be on my list as well.

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Loyal American Underground'

    ReplyDelete
  4. Actually, Stephen, "Pseudo Friend" is probably an overstatement as well...

    I guess if it's your blog-hop, you get to set the number...

    ReplyDelete
  5. >>.....Actually, Stephen, "Pseudo Friend" is probably an overstatement as well...

    Hokey-Smoke! Why so... so...SO! ?

    [Heck, you even won the Super Bowl bet. What would you have been like had you lost?]

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Pseudo-Loyal American Less-Than-PseudoFriend'

    ReplyDelete

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