Josh Roy Brown Can't Look Back
By Russell Hall
Produced by Dan Grigsby with Josh Roy Brown
Josh Roy Brown describes his style as what might happen if Johnny Cash and Lou Reed had a child. Toss a bit of Sticky Fingers-era Stones into the mix, and you've got an apt picture of just what Brown's music is all about. Blending electric country blues with Reed's talent for wrestling multi-hued sonic tones from his guitar, Brown should appeal to both the Americana crowd and big-city dwellers alike. Peppered with lap steel, slide, and some fiery harmonica work (courtesy of Tim Beattie), the arrangements on Can't Look Back are centered on acoustic and electric guitars woven into a rough-hewn tapestry.
High points on the CD include the heartland blues rocker "Sleeping Under Water," the "Wild Horses"-like "Never Saw Her Coming," and a ballad titled "Changin'' that sports beautiful violin work by guest artist Heather Hardy. Can't Look Back concludes with a faithful rendering of the country standard,"Abilene" (which was co-written by Brown's father, Les Brown), but it's the original songs on this CD that grab the listener and won't let go.