Sticks and Stones

Hippies at heart, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real always ran the risk of drifting a little too far out into space, particularly after spending a little too much time with their frequent frontman Neil Young. Sticks and Stones finds the group firmly returning to earth, stripping away trippy affectations so they can concentrate on such earthy pleasures as blues boogies, barroom dances, campfire singalongs, and copious amounts of liquor. Nelson places alcohol squarely at the center of "Alcohallelujah" and "Every Time I Drink," a pair of songs unveiled early on the record, and theyre key to understanding where Promise of the Real are coming from this time around. Theyre acting like a country band, but theyre not playing straight country; theyre singing loose, clever tunes about stumbling into the wrong house and climbing up the ladder of love at the speed of a locomotive -- good-time numbers that find their counter with cheerful barroom songs like "More Than Friends" and "If I Didnt Love You." There isnt an overriding theme on Sticks and Stones, nor is it nearly as ambitious as previous POTR records, yet thats its considerable charm: its lean, loose, and funny, the kind of record that provides a soundtrack for any kind of good time. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

ゴスペルとラップを取り入れた"Alcohallelujah"をはじめ、曲ごとにさまざまな趣向を楽しませる8作目。カントリーという枠組みはあるものの、ピアノ・ブギ、ファンク、ポップス、R&B、フォークと一曲一曲、印象が変わるのが聴きどころ。躍進著しいレイニー・ウィルソンとのデュエットはもちろん、随所で泣かせるスライド・ギターも聴き逃せない。
bounce (C)山口智男