Rd Roth - Fear Not the Breakdown

This is America. This is the place where the influences blur and meld, where horns meet samples, where screaming electric guitars meet the plaintive comfort of the acoustic string on a hollow wooden body. R D Roth's sophomore release features a newly formed band (Heidi Meredith Bass, Gregg Ostrom Lead Guitar, Jerry King Drums and Percussion), and a roster of guest artists bound to ring bells: David Olney, Janet Beveridge Bean (Freakwater, Eleventh Dream Day, Concertina Wire), Deanna Varagona (Lambchop, Neutral Milk Hotel, etc), Fareed Haque (Sting, Garaj Mahal, etc), Laura Caragher (Slowjane) and Ellis Clark (Epicycle, Chamber Strings, etc) as well as others. Loaded with catagory resisting style, this disc relies heavily on the value of lyrical story telling, melodic transendence, and sonic atmosphere. This is no acoustic folkie disc. As much as anything, 'Fear Not The Breakdown' is about the problems faced by folks trying to get by - the breakdown of personal relationships (The Fiddler), the breakdown of urban communities (The Brentwood), and so on. But, being America, this disc ends with hope, as Come Down, Too provides a last ray of light. Urbane, rhythmic and dynamic. Fear Not. For fans of Richard Buckner, Radiohead, Paul K, Lambchop, Townes Van Zandt, Eleventh Dream Day...

1) The Fiddler
2) One in a Billion
3) The Brentwood
4) Lincoln's Lament
5) When I Left
6) Hey All You Hipsters
7) Ear to the Ground
8) Eight Ball
9) Love in the Alley
10) Robert Ryman Dreams of Curves
11) Here Comes the Ground
12) Come Down Too