Testimonial #1: This record was the first outside project released on the imprint started by Kepi and Roach from punk-popsters Groovie Ghoulies. Testimonial #2: Dusty Wakeman and the Maddog crew provided support for three of the album’s eleven tracks. Testimonial #3: I like it (yes, this would probably be the least significant of the three).
Not a surprise, I suppose, that the Wakeman-helmed tracks are pretty much straight-up Bakersfield honky-tonk, with “Foolish Tears” being the strongest candidate for a Nashville watering-down and subsequent hit single (the song is really that good). Hell, with some tweaking, Janisch could have a hit with it. Yeah, like that’s gonna happen.
The remaining eight songs are more or less singer-songwriter bedroom recordings. Janisch makes the most out of the four tracks he has to work with; his use of various lo-fi accompaniments always keeps things interesting. “Rise And Shine” is propelled by a clacking rhythm track; the miking technique (or lack thereof) gives a retro beauty to “I Dream Of You”; what sounds like an, uh, inexpensive keyboard adds a sweet embellishment to “Long, Long”; double-tracked vocals and organ bring a gospel revival feel to the one-minute “Meet Me In The Valley Below”; and the closer “Goodnite” sounds like an old 78 you just ran across in your parents’ attic.