Search - Smokin' Willie :: Smokin Willie

Heartfelt, if not particulary accomplished, music...

collegemoney | 09/28/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Part of the Radioactive Records catalog occupies its own special niche in the "CD reissue" world, that of the extremely obscure "private release only" LP. On their offerings "Crash Coffin" and "Sidetrack," what we get for artwork are simply photographs of the record labels in their tattered plain white sleeves. To be sure, in a music economy where the undiscovered gem may be worth considerably more than proven art, this is fair ground to mine.

With Smokin' Willie, we do get liner notes. They say that the record includes "the same 3 performers that appear in the shows - no extra musicians." I can only imagine that this record was made for an audience in close proximity to Smokin' Willie and his local performances.

Sometimes Radioactive succeeds in bringing us raw toe-tapping CCR style rock. Or swirling psychedelia. Sometimes they fall a little short of that. Remember the old cynical saying "It's good and original. But what's good about it isn't original and what's original about it isn't good"? Smokin' Willie is not very original (5 of 6 songs are covers) or very accomplished. But it is very heartfelt. The photos let you know that Willie was serious about the effort. Radioactive should be praised and encouraged for seeking out this kind of music. For listeners like me, it's like rummaging through a huge pile of old records without having to do the real work."