Delta Bluesmen loved the National Steel Guitar. It's metal resonator cone was louder than other guitars in an era before electrical amplification. The new Tone-Cool release by Paul Rishell and Annie Raines, Moving to the Country has plenty of National guitar and other suprizes. You'll feel like you're on a front porch down in the Delta.
If you want to sound like the Delta, ya gotta have the mud.
From the first note squeezed out of Paul Rishell's National Guitar, you know this is the Blues. Kansas City Blues is fat and greasy, like how you feel after a good round of Arthur Bryant's barbeque. The title cut, Moving to the Country comes next to get the joint rockin'. Annie Raines harmonica sits in the groove nicely. Instruments get unplugged for My Washerwoman's Gone. "Ain't got no washerwoman, got nobody to rub". Rishell's vocals and his guitar are all that's needed for a groove. The record was made in Massachusetts, but you'll swear you're sitting on a porch in the Delta. Paul picks a sweet accompaniment for Annie's vocals on I Get The Blues. But where was the harp? Keep Your Hands Off Her gets the groove back in the mud. If you want to sound like the Delta, ya gotta have the mud. Sweet Tooth swings straight forward. A great dynamic harp-guitar breakdown highlights this cut. Annie tells it like it is over a groovy shuffle on Good Women Have Bad Days. She sure wasn't having a bad day when she cut this track.The band gets a break for Twist It Babe, as we're back on the porch again. Rishell's influences are obviously in the Delta and you can hear the party going on. The guitar and mandolin are featured in the bluegrass-esque Vanessa. The band returns to fatten things up on the cut Turning Corner. Annie's Fender Rhodes piano adds nice smoothage. Sweet Jivin' Mama is Paul's next cut. His National Reso-Phonic guitar's got the authentic sound. Tears strays from the Blues, but this quirky Django Reinhardt / Stephan Grappelli tune gets a good arrangement. Of course Fare Thee Well takes us on home. They both get a comfortable groove going and it's a great way to ease out of the record. Good strong performances, interesting songs, and fine National Steel guitar playing.
Paul Rishell (vocals, acoustic, electric & National Steel guitars Annie Raines (vocals, mandolin, harmonica, Fender Rhodes piano); Troy Gonyea, Chris Rival (guitar); Scott Shetler, Gordon Beadle (saxophone); Jesse Williams, Damian Purro (bass); Marty Richards (drums).
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