Search - Del McCoury Band & Friends :: Moneyland

Del McCoury Gets Political

Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 07/14/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The liner notes to this album state that the only goal of this release is to send this message to politicians in Washington: "Over the last couple of decades, you have turned Rural America into a scene of devastation which can best be described as 'Forgotten America.' Not only do we believe it 'un-American' for Washington to be blind to the problems of small towns and rural America, we believe it immoral...and there are an ever-growing number of us out here who are ready to stand up against this corrupt neglect of our culture and people."



That message sets the tone for the music included on this disc. The 14 songs all look at small town America and how recent events have impacted this segment of the country. The first song is the original 1931 recording of "Breadline Blues 1932" by Bernard "Slim" Smith and concludes with a 2008 remake featuring Del McCoury, Mac Wiseman, Tim O'Brien, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings with additional lyrics. Bookending the music are two excerpts from FDR's Depressian-era Fireside Chats.



There are only a handful of songs that were recorded specifically for this project. In addition to "Breadline Blues 2008," there are three new tracks by the Del McCoury Band--the energetic title track; "40 Acres and a Fool," which tells the tale of a corporate executive who pretends to be a farmer; and just to keep the proceedings from getting too somber they do a rousing bluegrass version of the Beatles' "When I'm 64." [There is a fourth Del McCoury Band song which is an uncredited bonus track--"All Aboard" taken from 2001's DEL AND THE BOYS] The other two new recordings are a medley by Mac Wiseman along with Bruce Hornsby's reworking of his 1986 hit "The Way It Is" with the gospel group the Fairfield Four.



The rest of the songs date back as far as 1973 with Merle Haggard's pop crossover hit "If We Make It Through December" to 2007's THE BLUEGRASS SESSIONS where Haggard laments "Everything Wal-Mart all the time/No more mom and pop five and dimes" on "What Happened." But whether it's Chris Knight lamenting the closing of the railroad line or Dan Tyminski despairing over the day-to-day struggle to survive, all of the songs hold together to paint a picture of America that is about as far removed from the American dream as you can get.



But again, the goal was not to create a mood of despair, but one of action. And as they sing in "Breadline Blues": "And when you place your vote/Please don't vote wrong/Vote away those blues/The breadline blues." HIGHLY RECOMMENDED [Running Time - 55:47]"

Music sampler about keeping the "corn from getting cobbed"

J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 08/28/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Moneyland" opens with Franklin D. Roosevelt espousing a "broader definition of liberty" that allows more freedom and security for the average man than ever known before. Then, the latest news in Bernard "Slim" Smith's 1932 "Breadline Blues" is about the funny relationship between having a job, money, friends, and food. The Del McCoury Band's title cut then establishes a contemporary perspective about the "money disease" and "a thing called greed." You get the idea of this CD's thematic message. The majority of this album consists of previously-released cuts from other artists like Marty Stuart, Merle Haggard, Chris Knight, Patty Loveless, Emmylou Harris, Dan Tyminski, Bruce Hornsby & The Fairfield Four. By that point of the album when the new remake of "Breadline Blues 2008" cues up, we are still left wondering about various moral dilemmas and whether there are any clear-cut answers. Bruce Hornsby had earlier claimed "some things will never change, that's just the way it is, but don't you believe them." Of course, the social commentary of "Breadline Blues" between the long-eared mule and the big-mouthed elephant is still relevant today. Timely for release during a Presidential election year, the McCourys state that the only goal of this album is to send a clear message to the politicians in Washington. Whether you consider yourself "red" or "blue," these songs go beyond partisan politics. They simply get us thinking about the current state of rural Americans, their communities, and their livelihoods. We've got to find a way to keep the corn from getting cobbed. FDR was optimistic, and we should be too. Still timely today, FDR's advice was to overcome our arduous burdens and economic calamities by retaining our faith in our ability to master our own destiny. The McCourys have transferred that sentiment to this musical sampler. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)"

Right On The Money

K. Hohman | Richmond, Virginia United States | 08/09/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Del McCoury Band is truly one-of-a-kind and, by this time, should be regarded as the best bluegrass band to ever take the stage. If you've seen them live, you know this to be true. If you've listened to their recordings "The Family" and "Cold, Hard Facts," you know that they operate on a totally different and higher level than every bluegrass band out there. The depth of Del's compositions and the telepathic interplay between the group's musicians create an emotionally stirring musical experience. That Del McCoury should take such a critical view of American politics at this stage in his career is a testament to his compassion for the average man and his belief in the transformative power of music. Especially when you consider that Del & The Boys work within a genre that, more often than not, prides itself on blind faith to all things red, white and blue. Long live Del, Ronnie and the boys!"