The Charlie Sizemore Band - Good News (CD)

All Music Guide

The Charlie Sizemore Band gathers its instrumental and vocal prowess behind Sizemore's countrystyled vocals on Good News. The band plays contemporary bluegrass, but like many other current groups they continue to touch upon traditional themes. Two drinking songs, "Blame It on Vern" and "The Less I That I Drink" are by turns sad and humorous. "I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up" is a freewheeling celebration of the power of love and is followed, incongruously, by "I Won't Be Far From Here," a song about one of country music's favorite standbys, a nogood woman. As has become standard in contemporary bluegrass, Sizemore includes at least two Civil War songs, "Whiskey Willie" and "the Silver Bugle." The first is about a whiskey maker whoin the spirit of democracysells his brew to the North and South. "The Silver Bugle" is more plaintive, a story of how the war has continued to haunt Southern memory. One curiosity is "Alison's Band," from the point of view of a bluegrass picker (who seems to be... Sizemore) who dreams of playing with Alison Krauss. The song name checks everyone in the band, and it will probably give fansof Sizemore and Kraussa good belly laugh. With good songs and performances, the Charlie Sizemore Band has delivered a solid set. - Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide Read more Less