By 

M. Swinney “Marc My Words” (Flower Mound, TX) –

  

I would have to say there aren’t too many artist out there like Robbie Fulks and there aren’t too many disc like his “Country Love Songs.”

You will find yourself asking pondering questions like, “Is this country?,” “What exactly is Fulks talking about in Nickels and Dimes?,” and the ever popular and probing, “What were Fulks musical influences and what chemicals influenced Fulks music?” The answer my friend may be blowing in the wind, but I would posit that Fulks music (though he is based out of Chicago God forbid) reflects true Country roots more so than the majority of popular drivel churned out by Nashville these days.

You will find unique songs like “The Scrapple Song,” that espouses the culinary delights hailing from Pennsylvania of all sorts of pig parts fried in a big baking pan. Granted it’s not pork chops served off a front porch in Appalachia or Texas hill country, but it is a story to be told nonetheless. Curiously enough “The Scrapple Song,” and other fare on Fulks “Country Love Songs,” comes off as this curious bastard child of Bob Wills and AC/DC. Country with a kick of “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” if you can imagine such a hell spawn amalgam.

There are songs on this disc that immediately get into your mind and will find you singing along to that high lonesome wail upon second plays. Where Fulks truly makes his mark though are on the songs that are country through and through like “The Buck Stops Here,” “Barely Human,” and “Papa was a Steel Headed Man.” Speaking of the album’s closer, “Papa,” it’s Fulks answer to Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach.” There is a wonderfully apocalyptic moment when the song reduces itself to church pipe organ and Fulks rants rails and raves end of times, tent revival, hail and brimstone, gospel preacher style deconstructing the simple obstinateness of a father that was stubborn to the point of de-humanization. He could either be regarded as the meanest man on earth or a genius. It is a musical moment that is difficult to live down and luckily we don’t have to since we have Fulks, “Country Love Songs,” to listen to again and again.

Just short of a must listen, don’t miss out on Fulks original and back to basics music.
–MMW

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Excellent seclection and mix of music. Some are easy enough for beginners and some are more challenging. Visual of guitar fingering as well as music notes encourage less than proficient players to give it a try. Fun to use it for simple piano/guitar duets. Great value. Enjoyed the time span of the selections. Easy to read words and music.

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