STRAIGHT SHOOTER

CD: "HAVE YOU HEARD STRAIGHT SHOOTER?"

I've been listening to a new CD today, and I was a little taken aback by what I heard. First, let me just say -- Straight Shooter is one terrific band!! I enjoyed every minute of time I've spent listening to this one! I guess the reason I say I was "taken aback" is because after reading their bio and hearing them referred to as "new age country" (we all KNOW how I feel about THAT label - what the HECK is new age country?), I figured I was gonna be hearing something quite different from what I heard. (I'm not exactly sure what that would have been, either!) Instead, what I heard was a great country band, not totally unlike many other great country bands I've heard in the past. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm NOT saying they're "cookie cutter", 'cause they aren't! No way! They're very much their own band, with a different and distinctive sound that makes them STRAIGHT SHOOTER. But "new age"? I'd say they are closer to being reminiscent of a time gone by! I hear lots of "50's" in their music. And yep, that's a GOOD thing.

This band is strong vocally, as well as instrumentally. Love that bass! This album is well produced, too. I guess if I had any complaints at all, it would be in the lineup of the tracks. I might not have put "CRYING" and "SUNSET SERENADE" right against each other, with so much cryyyying goin' on. (smile) The humor they inject into the album, with songs like "THE BEER SONG" and "WINE WINE", are welcome breathers from the melancholy, soul searching sounds of "LET'S MAKE LOVE" and "LONELY GIRL". Both beautiful, by the way and listen closely to "LET'S MAKE LOVE", and you tell ME who that guy reminds
you of.

Bud Kurtz has such a mellow, and even "vintage" sound that takes me back to.well.just BACK! And the instrumental work of the rest of the band-Jim and Mike Duggins on lead guitar and rhythm guitar, respectively; Tom Lindenstruth, Bass; and Dave Ingram on drums-is, as I said before, tremendous, a real treat to the ear! Bud wrote all the songs on the album, with the exception of "BRING IT ON HOME", written by and dedicated to, Sam Cooke, and "WINE WINE" written by and again, dedicated to its author, Jerry Lee Lewis.

STRAIGHT SHOOTER is a band I'll be listening to a lot. And I'll be watching for their next CD. They say it was their fans that really talked them into recording this one (these guys are club performers who'd never cut an album). Three complete strangers, but obvious fans, even offered to pay for the studio time, if they'd cut some of the songs they perform on-stage. Now THAT'S a fan! And I have to say THANKS to those fans! And you will too, when you check out their website at http://www.straightshooter.homestead.com/straightpg1.html and sample some of their tunes. You can also purchase the CD there, and it may be in record stores by the time of this writing. They aren't getting much media attention in the states (so what's new, huh?), but in Europe they're kickin' butt! They're definitely holding their own on the indie charts over there.

A lot of great talent has come to us out of Oklahoma, and STRAIGHT SHOOTER is no exception. But don't expect to turn on your radio and actually hear them blasting through your speakers. As usual, you'll have to travel to Europe for that pleasure. The exception to that situation, is that now, thanks to some very enterprising and smart DJ's who actually play the music they LIKE, are starting up webcast radio stations all over the net, and they ARE playing the indies! (Side note: expect to see an article here, about those web radio stations, in the near future!) This band has received tons of awards, both in Europe and in Oklahoma, have been and continue to be, on the European indie charts, and have been asked to tour Europe in the near future. Meanwhile they are staying very busy with the gigging they do over here (and of course, all have "real jobs", while they work hard on building their music careers). They play to sell-out crowds, returning to Doc Severenson's CIMARRRON club every few months. as well as opening for various acts and doing club dates around the Oklahoma area.

I highly recommend this CD, "HAVE YOU HEARD STRAIGHT SHOOTER", to all you country fans out there, and maybe especially, to those of you who crave a bit of 50's rock-n-roll, thrown into the mix. "Country"? "Rock-n-roll"? "New Age"? Hey, call it whatever you want. I call it GREAT MUSIC, and yep.as always.it's only....