Reed showcases a sense of pure musicianship over the album’s 16 tracks, most of which he wrote, and which feature everything from mandolins to 12-string guitars and plenty of tight harmonies. The whole affair, from country swing to gentle bluegrass to acoustic ballad, is refreshingly classic in its approach. “Murky Water,” the first track on the album, is a breezy 2 minutes that manages to combine a toe-tapping style with a tale of secrets and a “watery grave.” Later on, “Steal That Guitar Rag” shines with the homespun mountain sound that’s become so vogue since the soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou? reintroduced mainstream America to mainstream Americana. Reed shows off his solid, crisp baritone on the pleasant “Goin’ To Brownsville,” a song so enjoyable you’ll forgive him for actually wanting to go to Brownsville. The album’s highlight has to be “Frankie and Johnny,” Reed’s arrangement of a traditional tune. It’s a simple tale of love and love gone wrong, and Reed’s pure voice adds to the grace of the music without every outshining it. The lyrics conjure up images of a better time, in a past that may never have existed: these songs are all about choosing love above all things, something not often sung about so plainly. Overall, Reed has created an album very much in touch with an old school, cowboy sensibility, a disc of honest tunes, honestly played. {mosimage} Click Here To Purchase Cowboy Blues Visit Dennis’ website @ http://www.dennisrogerreed.com