Don Cavalli – Cryland
A Rag [2007]
Gloom Uprising – I’m Going To The River – Aggression – Here Sat I (Off Jumps The Don) – Vitamin A – Vengeance – Wandering Wanderer – Cryland – New Hollywood Babylon – Wonder Chairman – Cherie de mon coeur – Casual Worker – Summertime
With this album, Cavalli surprised his cohort of long-time fans who were more used to hearing him play Rockabilly and hillbilly bop. Cryland opens a new direction for the French musician, more bluesy and more personal. Though it’s still music with roots, it finds him free to play whatever he wants without the restrictions imposed by the codified genre that is Rockabilly. His voice has turned into a threatening growl leaving behind him the overwhelming influence of Charlie Feathers. The result sometimes sounds like a jam between Skip James, Captain Beefheart, Leadbelly, Tony Joe White, RL Burnside, T Model Ford and the rest of the Fat Possum gang. The drums smack like on early rap albums, while Cavalli seems to have a lot of fun playing with his Wah Wah pedal.
By no means an album for purists but a very good one for the more open-minded listeners.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis
