Friends, 2006 is only 2 months and some change old, there's not been a lot of new releases to date, but let me tell ya about the best durn CD I've heard up till now.
The CD is from a long time friend, but that don't give any bonus points, I'm pretty straight to the point with bands and record companies when they ask my opinion, and again my opinion don't mean much, but if there's several that have similiar opinions well it's something to consider, so I'm sure there's many gonna have the same opinion about my friend's new CD.
I really don't know where to start except that out of the twelve cuts my friend wrote nine, ya know I didn't even realize he'd wrote, so it's full of fresh new grass and one chestnut that's kinda his signature song.
It's a solo CD with all kinds of help from all kinds of great artists; Jason Moore, Tim Stafford, Ron Stewart, Jim Van Cleve, Adam Steffey, Steve Gulley and Dale Ann Bradley, so the talent is there for a great CD, and now you get a young'n with nine of his very own songs backed by a who's who in bluegrass today and let me tell ya, I'm Not Living Life (It's Living Me) should be in the hands of all you folks because Bo Isaac has a BONA FIDE HOSS CAT project on his hands.
Now Bo he's a entertainer, funny and he's always got a huge smile on his face, so when he performs you'll have a good time, at least he does and he gives it his all to try to entertain you.
If I had a star rating 5 being the
best it's a rock solid 4, and the only 4 I've heard this
year!
The Boman
Americas Bluegrass
www.americasbluegrass.com
Powerful is a great way to describe this CD. The vocals were exceptional. The fervor and enthusiasm as he sang each song sent chills down your spine.
I just loved the song selection. The original material was superb. His arrangment of my favorite song "Old Old House" is great.
You need to play this project several times in order to fully appreciate the combination of his fine voice & the great lyrics of each song.
Needless to say audience response for
this CD was overwhelming. While playing the entire CD my request
line never stopped ringing. It is rare to have a artist on a
debut CD that generates this much feedback. Each and every song
was requested to be played again. I know that I will be playing
several cuts each week until the CD is played in total again. I
will be carrying this CD with me for several weeks to come.
Al Shusterman
KCBL/Backroads Bluegras
363 T. Street
Sacramento, CA, 95819-4743
Where do you start when you read and note a project with all the accoutrement's! From studio to producer to vocalists and musicians. And don't forget the songwriting! Well it was put together at the home of Dixie and Tom T. Hall but wait a minute!! Only one song from the versatile husband and wife songwriters and two others (the TITLE cut) and the venerable 'Old Old House' not written by the man taking front and center.
Have a look at his credentials; an alumnus of Dave Evans, Larry Cordle and Gerald Evans. If you are going to expand your horizons in the business of music and performing, that's a triumvirate that's hard to beat. And if I recall,Bo's name shows up on other projects not only as a performer but as a songwriter. While some would argue that Mountain Heart is a progressive bluegrass band and therefore Steve Gulley's influence as producer would lead in that direction, this is SOLID BLUEGRASS by any description.Listen closely for the drive of Tim Stafford,the sweetness of tone a la Jim Van Cleve and the soul of Adam Steffey all surrounded with the heartfelt vocals of Bo Isaac.
This is a project that doesn't demand you back again and again because you can't find the words or melody that beckons. It is a complete package wrapped in style, imagination and soul searching defined by notes that speak and words that emote the sentiment expressed.
Ten of the 12 cuts are written by Bo Isaac. It's a litany of sad with exasperation,relief, horizons of possible,lessons learned and vision of hope. All is packaged in a paced presentation to fulfil most moods and all is pure KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS.
Sure to be one of the BEST of 2006