Wylie & the Wild West Show - Total Yodel! (CD)

All Music Guide

Where Way Out West impressed the listener with wild rockers and stratospheric yodeling, Total Yodel, ironically, is a fairly low-key affair, heavy with high lonesome ballads and cowboy songs. Indeed, we hear more of Wylie's yodeling skills here, but rather than knocking our socks off, they are a subtle part of the music in the style of Jimmie Rodgers, and a number of covers (including three by Rodgers) confirm that Wylie values tradition over gimmickry. Infectious in its simplicity, Total Yodel's sincerity and energy set the tone for its masterful follow-up, Ridin' the Hi-Line.

- Jim Smith, All Music Guide