THE ALTERNATE ROOT MAGAZINE
Loose Cattle - SOMEONE’S MONSTER review
November 2, 2024
by BRIAN ROCK
Loose Cattle (from the album Someone’s Monster available on Single Lock Records/Low Heat Records) (by Brian Rock)
Loose Cattle pay tribute to society’s misfits, outcasts, and lonely losers on their third album, Someone’s Monster. The New Orleans-based band headed to the fabled Muscle Shoals region of Alabama to get that swampy sound these tales require. Combining Folk vocals, Bluegrass fiddle, and Rock drums, the band creates a signature sound to convey their stories. Co-bandleaders Michael Cerveris and Kimberly Kaye join in harmony, and trade vocals, to bring an emotional punch to their Southern tragedies.
“Cheneyville” typifies the morose mood of the album. The song is about a teenage girl’s rapid descent into despair. She leaves the happy home of her youth to pursue love. Her lover soon turns violent and leaves her with child. Seeking a way out, she learns that her state has strict anti-abortion laws. As dire as the story is, the lilting fiddle captures glimpses of the warmth of her parents’ love and the new love she hoped to find on her own. As her story unfolds, the haunting chorus warns that ‘she’s never going back to Cheneyville’. Echoing the album’s title, the song explores how an angel can become a ‘monster’ in someone else’s eyes. With no malice of intent, a person overwhelmed by a series of poor decisions or circumstances beyond her control; can be forced to make a decision that may be viewed as monstrous to others. The deceptively soothing melody of the song reminds us not to pass judgement until we’ve walked a mile in someone else’s’ shoes.
‘Before We Begin” offers a melodious Folk litany of the marginalized who have died from overdose, suicide, or abuse, and asks us to pause a moment in remembrance. “Tender Mercy” offers advice for those who seek to drown their sorrows with ‘chemical anger filling your veins’. “Big Night Out” follows a woman whose goal is to ‘get drunk tonight... and punch somebody’s lights out’. Despite her belligerent demeanor, she still manages to attract the interest of a ‘flannel gentleman’. In spite of herself, she manages to fall in love – until the cycle begins again. The deceptively lively rhythms of “Further On’ belie the hopelessness of jaded lovers who ‘just get lonely, trying not to hear the roaring tide of voices raised in anger’. “God’s Teeth” is a brooding meditation on group judgement. “Here’s That Attention You Asked For” is a haunting tale of revenge on grabby handed philanderers. Lucinda Williams joins the band on the touching, bittersweet “Joanne”. But even here, in a song of mutual love, Death intrudes to destroy the happily ever after. “The Shoals” is a gritty, Blues-tinged Folk/Rock ode to a woman who just wants to speak her mind, but when she does, she hears ‘fading footsteps leaving me behind’. In each of these songs Cerveris and Kaye use sparse lyrics to imply more than they describe. There is no “Ira Hayes” or “Fancy” in this lot. There are no heroes of the damned. Instead, they are anonymous characters lurking on the edge of society. The purpose for this is so that we may better see ourselves in the less fortunate; for there but for the grace of God go we. But, offering a silver lining of hope even for the despondent, the band offers a Southern Rock anthem of hope on “Not Over Yet”. Calling out to all ‘weirdos, witches, lonely hearts, cowboys and queers’ the band urges us to keep pushing forward because ‘it’s not over yet’. (by Brian Rock)
Listen and buy the music of Loose Cattle from AMAZON
Visit the Loose Cattle website for more information
AMERICANA HIGHWAYS
29 October 2024
REVIEW: Loose Cattle “Someone’s Monster”
by John Apice
Loose Cattle – Someone’s Monster
This group comes off with some nice late-career Little Feat sounds when female vocalist Shaun Murphy was featured (like in Loose Cattle’s “Tender Mercy”). They have tone & taste to spare with dominant fiddle & strong vocals built around some jubilant melodies.
“Further On” opens the album (that features Lucinda Williams & The Drive-By Truckers’ Patterson Hood & Jay Gonzalez) with its smoky countrified warm resonance. Followed by “Joanne” that’s even more catchy with the dynamic voice of Kimberly Kaye. The album features 12 meticulously crafted pieces for the handsome Someone’s Monster (Drops Nov 1/Low Heat/Single Lock Records/57:35) produced by John Agnello with Michael Cerveris. The set was recorded in Maurice, Lafayette & New Orleans, LA, Nashville, Portland, OR & Sante Fe, NM.
The set is chock full of memorable alt-country-flavored decorously attired tunes. Back in the day, they’d compliment stuff like this by saying “They’re jukebox ready.” Yeah, they certainly are. Each is mainstream tight & commercially distinct. Nothing is cliched, or redundant. There’s a nice balance between male & female vocals that helps to make the showcase move along at a generous clip.
“Here’s That Attention You Ordered,” is a cleverly sung by Ms. Kaye. A nice shuffle with a repetitious line that’s sugar for sweet ears. The instrumentation is a little dark around the edges, but the fiddle & Kimberly keep it bright through their musical personalities. The band has learned their craft. Loose as The Grateful Dead, tight as Little Feat & Seatrain with a riveting performance thrust like the old Mother Earth with Tracy Nelson. I would think the only genre they should touch more upon is bluesier tunes. Other than that, Loose Cattle have this music sewed up.
The grittier parts are sung by Michael Cerveris’ & it’s a dabble of contrasts that keeps the band from sliding into a formulaic rut. They don’t need a formula when they have instincts. The dual-sung “Before We Begin” is a sprightly upbeat melody that is deliciously performed. “Not Over Yet,” & “The Shoals” are the rockiest/bluesiest tunes to spill from the old Ten Wheel Drive’s powerhouse vocalist Genya Ravan bag. The song diversity between the two is what’s excellent. With grinding grungy fiddle sawing instead of the guitar. Superb.
Highlights – “Further On,” “Joanne,” “Cheneyville,” “Here’s That Attention You Ordered,” “God’s Teeth,” “Before We Begin,” “Not Over Yet,” “The Shoals” & “Tender Mercy.”
Musicians – Kimberly Kaye (vocals), Michael Cerveris (vocals/guitar/mellotron), Rene Coman (bass), Doug Garrison (drums/percussion), Rurik Nunan (fiddle/vocals) with Jay Gonzalez (keyboards/guitars), Lucinda Williams (vocals), Patterson Hood (vocals/guitar), Louis Michot (fiddle/vocals), Alex McMurray (guitar), Johanna Divine (lap steel/vocals), Jon Graboff (pedal steel), The Coven Choir – Debbie Davis, Arsene Delay & Meschiya Lake (bgv).
ROOTS MUSIC UNDERGROUND.COM
23 August 2024
WITH "SOMEONE’S MONSTER," LOOSE CATTLE BREAK OUT
Single Lock Records / Low Heat Records
Reviewed by Stephen David Austin for RootsMusicUnderground.com
Loose Cattle's new studio album, Someone’s Monster,is a rootsy, eclectic journey that hits all the right notes from start to finish. It’s the kind of album that gives you that rare gut feeling—the same one I had when I first encountered the Drive-By Truckers and Molly Tuttle. This New Orleans band has all the elements to resonate deeply with roots music fans, and maybe, just maybe, find a broader audience. Like it or not, SiriusXM has become the tastemaker for contemporary roots music. If Loose Cattle can get into rotation on SXM's Outlaw Country, they stand a real chance of breaking out.
Formed over a decade ago by Michael Cerveris and Kimberly Kaye, Loose Cattle began as a cover band in New York City before relocating to New Orleans. Despite the end of their romantic relationship, Cerveris and Kaye kept the band going, joining forces with veterans like Rene Coman and Doug Garrison, whose resumes include stints in The Iguanas and Alex Chilton’s rhythm section. Adding fiddler Rurik Nunan to the mix, they’ve tapped into the deep well of talent in New Orleans, featuring an impressive lineup of backup singers and musicians. Guest appearances by Lucinda Williams and Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers further cement the band’s credibility and enrich the album’s sound.
Produced by John Agnello with additional production from Michael Cerveris, Someone’s Monster is just polished enough to keep that essential rootsy edge. The album’s song sequencing is impeccable, drawing the listener in and holding their attention throughout.
The opening track, “Further On,” sets the tone with Rurik Nunan’s fiddle taking center stage, complemented by tight vocal harmonies and a strong backbeat. It’s an immediate attention-grabber and a fitting start to the album.
One of the boldest choices on the record is the band’s cover of Lady Gaga’s “Joanne.” It takes serious talent to reinterpret such a personal song from a pop music giant, but Loose Cattle does it with style, making the track their own while respecting its original emotion.
“Cheneyville,” written by Cerveris, is another standout. It’s a slice of roots music that harkens back to REM’s “(Don't Go Back To) Rockville,” blending nostalgia with a modern sensibility that showcases the band’s versatility and songwriting prowess.
The album’s highlight, however, is “Here’s That Attention You Ordered.” Penned by Kimberly Kaye and Michael Cerveris, this dark tale of comeuppance is a powerful statement that could easily be an anthem for the #MeToo movement. When my seventeen-year-old son—whose eclectic taste in music makes him wise beyond his years—said he can hardly wait for the album’s release so he can add it to his playlist, it confirmed my belief that this song was something special.
In addition to their own original songs, the choice of covers is well suited to Loose Cattle. Written in 1988 by Lucinda Williams, “Crescent City” is a love letter to New Orleans, a city that stays with you long after you’ve left it. While staying true to Williams’ original version, the track’s dynamic arrangement and double-tracked fiddle evoke the city’s spirit in a way that only someone with deep ties to the place could manage. I haven’t lived there since the late 1970s, but the song still makes me homesick.
“Before We Begin,” co-written by Kaye and Cerveris, offers incisive social commentary in a catchy framework. It’s a plea for tolerance in intolerant times, with a final verse that name-checks George Floyd, serving as a stark reminder of America’s ongoing struggle with racism. This track, in particular, underscores the band’s ability to tackle weighty issues with grace and power.
Another Kaye and Cerveris composition, “Not Over Yet,” is an uptempo rocker that offers a message of hope in the face of adversity. The line, “Palmetto bugs stole my can of Raid,” brought back surprisingly fond memories for me, blending universal themes with the unique flavor of the Big Easy.
Closing out the album is “Tender Mercy.” The track neatly wraps up an album whose overall message can be summed up in saying that despite life’s hardships and injustices, it’s still worth living.
In Someone’s Monster, Loose Cattle has crafted an album that’s as diverse as it is cohesive, filled with memorable tracks that linger long after the music ends. With the right radio and tour exposure, they just might find themselves on the cusp of something big. This is a band that deserves to be heard.
Someone’s Monster is due for release on November 1. “Further On,” the first single, is available for purchase or streaming now.
“Further On" is out now for PreOrder/Presave/Download at link.singlelock.com/loosecattle
Someone’s Monster is scheduled for release on Nov 1 on Single Lock Records and Low Heat Records
Listen to Loose Cattle on Spotify
For more information, visit LooseCattleBand.com
Loose Cattle, Heavy Lifting (Low Heat Records)
OFFBEAT MAGAZINE
21 July 2024
by: CREE MCCREE
Moo! As we emerge from the darkest days of the pandemic, Loose Cattle, my favorite Americana cowpunks in New Orleans, are here to help us carry that load with Heavy Lifting. The follow-up to Seasonal Affective Disorder (2017), their widely acclaimed Christmas specialty album, Loose Cattle’s official studio debut arrives a whole decade after the band first formed. And boy, was it worth the wait!
The molten core of Loose Cattle—two-time Tony and Grammy Award winner Michael Cerveris and his partner-in-crime Kimberly Kaye—have never sounded tighter on their trademark close harmonies and give each other free rein when the other takes the spotlight. They’ve also got a crack team behind them: bassist Rene Coman and drummer Doug Garrison of the Iguanas and free-ranging fiddler Rurik Nunan.
Longtime fans will revel in live-show faves like Buddy and Julie Miller’s devilishly combustible “Gasoline and Matches,” Paul Sanchez’s sly May-December paean “He’s Old She’s High” and Cerveris’ own impossibly romantic high school flashback “Tenth Grade.” But Heavy Lifting is also studded with new originals and fresh reinventions that run the gamut of emotions from poignant to politically acerbic to just plain shit-kicking fun.
Vic Chestnut’s “Aunt Avis,” the opening meditation on “how to remember how to be good,” foreshadows the mournful waltz “Filling Space,” a study in human disconnection beautifully portrayed in an animated video. Clear-eyed as always, they step into today’s polarized minefield with Bob Frank’s “Redneck Blue Collar:” “Six pack in the pick-up and bait in the boat / Take ’em to the cleaners when it’s time to vote.” Elsewhere, they put on their stompin’ boots to trade he said/she said barbs on Mike Cooley’s “Get Downtown,” and create a hilarious mashup of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” with CeeLo Green’s “F**k You” that turns the pleading protagonist into an avenging antagonist. Now that’s empowerment.
MUSIC MECCA- nashville
23 June 2021
Tony & Grammy-Award Winner Michael Cerveris & Kimberly Kaye Of Americana Band Loose Cattle Discuss New Album ‘Heavy Lifting’, Group Origins, & Much More
When you squeeze a bunch of like-minded musician friends into a room with a loose plan to play through some country tunes, they may just walk out deciding to form a band.
This, in a nutshell, is the origin story behind Loose Cattle, whose new album Heavy Liftingis an emotional mix of humorous originals and sensitive covers of some of their peers.
Fronted by ex-romantics Kimberly Kaye and two-time Tony winner Michael Cerveris, their years of Broadway and touring experience, backed by an assortment of Grammy-recognized musicians, make for a concentrated mixture of alt-country talent. The roster originated with Lorenzo Wolff on bass, Eddy Zweiback on drums, and with special appearances from fiddler Justin Smith and pedal steel player Jon Graboff. These days, they are joined by René Coman, Doug Garrison, and Rurik Nunan on fiddle.
Heavy Lifting was recorded in early 2020, and with an eerily timely intent: “We chose and wrote songs that spoke to us of the struggles we and our friends were going through trying to maintain hope and a sense of humor in the increasingly dark American landscape,” Cerveris says. “We had no idea what was coming.”
Kicking off with a cover of Vic Chesnutt’s “Aunt Avis,” a reflective and somber tone is set, introducing the listener to the satisfying blend of Cerveris’ magnetic vocals with Kaye’s own, spun sweet and fluffy like cotton candy. The tribute to Kaye’s late friend was chosen because, as she explained, “It’s hard to imagine anyone going through 2020 without laying awake in the dead of night asking ‘how do I possibly keep going’ at least once. Vic wrote a song about trying to keep stable when you feel untethered, and now every human we know has had that experience.”
Similar mellow undertones are felt on the solemn “West Virginia,” a song named after Cerveris’ home state, and the slow and waltzing “Filling Space,” which was released alongside a music video with faceless paper-people characters animated by Jason Shevchuk.
The energy flips in songs like “Redneck Blue Collar,” “Gasoline and Matches,” and “Sidewalk Chicken,” which are more playful and upbeat additions to the album. “Fuck You Jolene” is a mashup between Dolly Parton’s catchy chart-topper and the 2010 viral hit by CeeLo Green, creating a lavishly sassy and shamelessly bold combination—and a decisive final word to end the album.
They’ve wielded this sort of humorous edge before. Their sort of anti-Christmas album Seasonal Affective Disorder played for laughs with titles such as “Please Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas)” to “Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis” whose music provide as much entertainment value as the names alone do.
KUTX Radio Austin
7 June 2021
Neither New York nor New Orleans are particularly renowned for their unbound livestock, but that could all change with Loose Cattle. With Michael Cerveris and Kimberley Kaye at the core, Loose Cattle first came out of the stable in 2011, and within that decade they’ve evolved from a duo to a quintet, from punk into alt-country, and just within the timeline of COVID, recorded their debut full-length.
Loose Cattle’s got the proverbial bull by the horns with the release of Heavy Lifting last Friday, rambunctious kickin’ out of the barn with its eleven rustic and sweltering originals including an urban twist on a fellow barnyard favorite with “Sidewalk Chicken”!
American Songwriter
4 June 2021
Review: Loose Cattle Offer an Excellent Line-Up on New Album
by Lee Zimmerman
Four out of Five Stars
Michael Cerveris is certainly no novice. A Tony and Grammy Award winner, he partners with an equally accomplished performer Kimberly Kaye in a band they’ve dubbed Loose Cattle. The two boast a combined ten-year tenure, and their new effort, Heavy Lifting, boasts a sound soaked in a gritty rootsy firmament, encompassing all the tenuous trappings that generally add up to a legitimate heartland sound.
That makes Heavy Lifting a riveting effort from start to conclusion, one that runs the gamut from delirious duets like Buddy and Julie Miller’s tempestuous “Gasoline and Matches,” given an added lift courtesy of Rurik Nunan’s striking and strident fiddle play, to the somber set up of album opener and Vic Chesnutt cover “Aunt Avis.” The rugged designs of “Tenth Grade” further affirm the group’s commitment to a solid, stoic approach, given the added embellishment of the quintet’s solid delivery and unapologetic attitude. Bassist René Coman and drummer Doug Garrison provide the sturdy foundation these songs call for, but when the group settle into moments of rare respite, as witnessed on the reflective ballads “Filling Space,” “Down” and “West Virginia,” there’s a pensive perspective that becomes moving and memorable all its own.
For her part, Kaye is a versatile vocalist, having cut her teeth both in a ska band and on the legitimate musical theater stage. She’s an excellent foil for Cerveris’ more gruff demeanor, and when he adapts that edgy attitude for the barnstorming boogie found in an otherwise unvarnished offering like “Sidewalk Chicken,” the rowdy and robust “Redneck Blue Collar” or the Johnny and June-style duets “Get Downtown” and “He’s Old, She’s High,” the results take on a decidedly distinct dynamic. This well-rounded outfit are clearly adept at taking off in any number of different directions, while pursuing each with equal aplomb. Likewise, the track that rounds it all out, “F*ck You Jolene”—an irascible rebuke to the home-wrecker name-checked in the Dolly Parton standard—shows that they’re well capable of shoving a middle finger in the face of anyone that gives them reason for revenge. That’s true heavy lifting indeed.
REVENGE OF THE WRITERS: Blurt’s Best and Worst of 2017
by Dave Steinfeld
Best Holiday Album - Loose Cattle — Seasonal Affective Disorder (Low Heat Records)
ROLLING STONE COUNTRY
22 DECEMBER 2017
10 NEW COUNTRY AND AMERICANA CHRISTMAS SONGS TO HEAR RIGHT NOW
Ten of the year's most satisfying new entries in the Christmas canon, with nary a reindeer-flattened senior in the bunch.
by Stephen L. Betts
Loose Cattle cut their joyfully tongue-in-cheek holiday LP, Seasonal Affective Disorder, in both Brooklyn, where Tony-winning actor Michael Cerveris and Kimberly Kaye formed the group in 2011, and in New Orleans, hence the delightful nod to the Cajun musical tradition and the lyrics that speak of making a concerted effort to avoid as much familial conflict during the holidays as possible. With lyrics in French and English, and Cajun musicians the Lost Bayou Ramblers joining them, the homey scenes depicted in the accompanying video present a Christmas that's free of drama (and politics), one your mama would probably treasure more than that new ironing-board cover you bought her.
No Depression Magazine
11 December 2017
Loose Cattle – Seasonal Affective Disorder
by Henry Carrigan
Not everybody is happy when the stores put up their displays of Christmas candy and stocking stuffers or when the neighbors wrap their shrubbery in twinkling lights. For many folks, Christmas is a dark time of year, and they see no light in these midwinter celebrations. Loose Cattle sings Christmas songs for the rest of the world not jammed shoulder-to-shoulder in malls, or gathered around a food-laden table with family. This is for the truckers spending Christmas at Pilot (“A Truck Stop Christmas”), prostitutes in jail (“Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis”), homeless veterans (“Pretty Paper”), the hopeless (“If We Make It through December”), and children with parents missing in action (“Please Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas)”). This might be the best album of the season since it reveals that most of us miss the real reason for the season, loving others hidden behind the glitter who feel helpless and hopeless.
Elmore Magazine
30 November 2017
90 out of 100
by Suzanne Cadgène
We don’t normally review holiday releases, but this one breaks all the molds and demands attention, much like that crazy uncle who constantly shakes up the holidays like his personal snow globe. The liner notes begin “from our odd, broken, repaired, differently functional, inherited, made and unexpectedly found families…to yours,” and Loose Cattle makes good on that promise. This country-influenced album boasts 15 Christmas hymns you won’t hear in Hallmark commercials, but—unless you’re a member of the Brady Bunch—I bet you’ve experienced some of it yourself.
Whether drawing from Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Joni Mitchell, standards or a couple of originals, this album celebrates real people, and real holidays, like the working man trying to get home in “A Truck Stop Christmas.” From John Denver’s self-explanatory “Please Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas)” to the mournful classic, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” this album celebrates those scotch-and-soda or Alka-Seltzer holiday moments—no grandmas getting run over by reindeer here, no puppy-under-the-tree moments. It’s not depressing, it’s not funny, but it is very a comforting album.
An original, “Shepherds in a Parking Lot,” turns out to be a personal favorite, contrasting what’s touted as a “merry time of year” with the everyday reality: “that doctor gave you pills so now you’re numb but still you’re sick…There’s no wise men on the TV, no light in the East, no shepherds in this parking lot.” Another favorite, a cover of Robert Earl Keen’s “Merry Christmas From the Family,” is worth quoting at length:
Carve the turkey, turn the ballgame on
Mix margaritas when the eggnog’s gone
Send somebody to the Quik Pak store
We need some icing and extension cords
A can of bean dip and some Diet right
A box of tampons and some more Burl Ives
Hallelujah, everybody say cheese
Merry Christmas…
Loose Cattle is Tony Award-winning and TV actor Michael Cerveris and Kimberly Kaye (who has the better voice of the two), but honestly, this CD isn’t just about the music. It’s about Christmas.
The big take over
#81 November 2017
by Jack Rabid
Loose Cattle, Seasonal Affective Disorder (Low Heat)
Ah, something to listen to at holiday time that isn’t the same old same old. Michael Cerveris has won two Tonys for Best Actor in a Musical, while appearing in movies and TV like Treme. He’s also a musician: I saw him in 1998 in Bob Mould’s band, and here his classic country-Americana band (named after a Texas road sign) with Kimberly Kaye and guests take on lesser-trod X-mas tunes, such as 1974’s spiritual Big Star Third/Sister Lovers sweetie. “Jesus Christ” and 1963’s Willie Nelson-penned #15 for Roy Orbison, “Pretty Paper,” beside two originals. Unique Glen Campbell-esque country, Cajun, R&B, and folk picks such as the bluesy, lap-steel-y “A Truck Stop Christmas” and “Please Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas)” exude melancholic, clever warmth; it’s all so fresh and as timeless as a well-worn Nelson album itself. As they sing on the Dr. John-referencing Sonny Lambeth/Dixie Cups song: “Got To Get You Under My Tree.” (loosecattleband.com)
Los Angeles times
23 november 2017
*** (out of 4) Loose Cattle, “Seasonal Affective Disorder” (Low Heat).
by Randy Lewis
This tradition-minded quartet navigates the fine line between sincerity and parody in 15 songs that navigate the intersection of country, rock, R&B, soul and Cajun music. Along with such homages to holiday dysfunction as Robert Earl Keen’s “Merry Christmas From the Family” and Mary Catherine and William Danoff’s “Please Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk this Christmas),” the band reaches wide with Tom Waits’ “Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis” and Alex Chilton’s “Jesus Christ."
OffBeat Magazine
October 1, 2014
by John Swenson
As a fan of the Who dating back to the band’s earliest American performances, I approached the Broadway production of Tommywith trepidation, fearful of another degradation of Pete Townshend’s spiritually sophisticated rock masterpiece.
Not only did I find myself enjoying the production, I was knocked out by the young actor who played the title role with the most feeling for this difficult-to-fathom character I’ve ever witnessed. His name was Michael Cerveris and I would hardly have expected him to later become a key element of the New Orleans music scene.
But today Cerveris is an integral member of the city’s tightly knit group of musicians and conceptualists, a central figure in one of the organizational foundations of post-Katrina New Orleans music, the stage production of Nine Lives.
On North of Houston, we hear another unexpected side of Cerveris: He emerges on this live recording as a white-hat Americana singer steeped in steel-guitar sonorities and sounding like one of the up-and-comers in Nashville’s alt-country scene. It’s an ironic setting considering the role Cerveris played in the HBO post-Katrina drama “Treme”—the black-hat music-industry manager encouraging erstwhile young violinist Annie to “sell out” and abandon her Cajun rock band for a more Nashville-centric business model.
Cerveris knows how to front a performing unit and surrounds himself with outstanding players: Gabriel Caplan on electric guitar, Jon Graboff on pedal steel, Alex Harvey on mandolin, Justin Smith on fiddle, Lorenzo Wolff on bass and Eddy Zweiback on drums (Kimberly Kaye helps out on vocals). Cerveris makes shrewd selections from the deep canon of country songwriting. There’s a terrific version of Buddy and Julie Miller’s “Gasoline and Matches,” a real outlaw-country rendition of Mark Bilyeu’s “Backwater,” Dolly Parton’s “Run That By Me One More Time” and her “collaboration” with Cee Lo et. al., “Jolene, F**k You.” There are a couple of Dylan songs, a Justin Townes Earle tune and two numbers from Cerveris himself, the easygoing “Dog Eared” and the atmospheric “Evangeline.” Not surprisingly, one of the set’s best songs is a Cerveris/Paul Sanchez co-write, “Lost in New Amsterdam.”
Then, just when you thought you’d heard it all, Cerveris finishes off with a reprise of his star-is-born moment, “Pinball Wizard.”