Press
Arkansas Times: January 21, 2010
Brad Williams might have the most iconic voice in local music. Rangy and rarely onstage without a cowboy hat, the Salty Dogs front man sings in the kind of easy twang that comes from growing up in Marked Tree, but he tempers it with a big helping of Southern soul (you could imagine Williams doing right by a Dan Penn song). Williams and the Dogs - Brent LaBeau (bass), Bart Angel (drums), Nick Devlin (guitar) -often get pegged as "new traditionalists" or "honky-tonk revivalists," which to these ears is just another way of saying country music that lasts. On Saturday, the band celebrates the release of its fourth album and first on Max Recordings, "Brand New Reason." It's full of hot guitar licks, organ workouts and clever lyrics.
- Lindsey Millar
http://www.maxrecordings.com/#/the-salty-dogs/4537031499
Oxford American Magazing: February 9th, 2010
Being an original country band in a world gone indie-rock is not an easy line to toe—not without making creative compromises with Nashville, anyway—but The Salty Dogs of Little Rock, Arkansas, have somehow managed to own their sound while staying deeply rooted in traditional honky-tonk. As convincing as they can be on the dance-hall numbers, The Salty Dogs have more to offer than a recap of the genre, as proven by their latest release, BRAND NEW REASON, a mixed bag of high-voltage, soulful twang.
Singer-songwriter Brad Williams’s crisp, resonant vocals, Stephen Winter’s Hammond B-3, Nick Devlin’s stringed virtuosity, and Brent Labeau and Bart Angel’s rhythm section are the sonic elements that make up the Dogs’ kaleidoscopic country, which changes shape with each turn. The album kicks off with “Rock and Roll Will Never Stay,” a cheeky country-rock tale of Bible-belt Puritanism. The opening riff in “Knock 3X,” a song about revisiting old sexual stomping grounds, tags T. Rex’s jangly guitar-work. “Second Chance” and “Old Folks Home,” two Bakersfield-style songs, call for a fresh layer of sawdust on the dance floor. On “Nadine,” the band gives a Dixie-fried rendering of Chuck Berry’s proto-rock. “Another Day in a Small Town,” with its walking basslines and Dobro flourishes; and “Every Now and Then” with its shuffle beat and insouciant harmonica trills, are down-home folk music from the kind of small towns the songs reference. Though they constantly shift gears throughout the album, The Salty Dogs embody each song with a consistency and ease that come only from seasoned talent.
4 stars -A must have for any country lovers music collection.
- Quentin Foster, Roots Music Report
The dozen songs are well put together with enough diversity (reverb on "Step right up" and the acoustic based "Holding to my Lord") to keep it real interesting. Nick Devlin provides sharp guitar licks throughout. Williams, who wrote most of the songs, is the guiding light with his vocals at the fore.
- Jeffrey B. Remz, Country Standard Time
An absolute delight from start to finish. Fans of Country Music from a bygone era will definitely love this CD, and want to learn more about this talented group!
- Chuck Dauphin/Music News Nashville
I really dug it. Nice sounds and songs. Reminds me (in good ways!) of The Derailers, Dwight, The Wagoneers, The Mavericks etc...
- Bill Lloyd (Foster and Lloyd)
Brad Williams has a fine voice for this material (the band aren't bad either) - whether serenading, gospelling or grieving, he always convinces.
- David Cowling/Americana UK: The UK Home for Alt-Country, Americana and Alternative
Williams, in any event, writes and chooses songs well. Online I've run onto several reviews who hear Bakersfield in Autoharpoon, and I suppose it's there. But I am more struck by the easy country-soul running through this, even the Johnny Cash knock-off "When My Blood Runs Cold" -- which is a darn good Cash knock-off, by the way. "Holding To My Lord" (a Williams co-write with, if I read the liners right, the late Roy "Papaw" Wagner) is first-rate southern gospel.
- Grant Alden, No Depression/Grant's Rants
The Salty Dogs' album Autoharpoon... Mandatory purchase! A successful formula.
- Roots Time
4.5 stars out of 5 (Autoharpoon)
- Ctrl.Alt.Country
From the band name and punny album title, one would be forgiven for expecting the Salty Dogs' Autoharpoon to be, say, maritime folk-punk songs from Newfoundland about the drunken adventures of whalers or something like that. In fact, the Salty Dogs are an Arkansas quartet proffering pure old-fashioned honky tonk country in the great tradition of early Ray Price and the Bakersfield posse. Singer/songwriter Brad Williams knows his two-steps and shuffles, and he and the band, especially lap steel specialist Nick Devlin, alternate between cry-in-your-beer ballads like the downright Victorian "The People Cried" and more uptempo twangers like "Starting Now," featuring a guest shot from Elvis Presley's drummer D.J. Fontana. Other highlights include a crisp, unfussy extended workout on the country blues classic "Take Time to Know Her" and the unexpected art move of the two-part closer, "Heaven's Gates/Hell's Flames." Autoharpoon is unpretentious, joyous, and as pure as mountain dew.
- Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
The second album by Arkansas' Salty Dogs continues to emulate the "Ghost of Buck, Spirit of Dwight" sound from their first album. Brad Williams's songs are pure and honest as he effortlessly moves from country to gospel and back. The backing musicians, Bart Angel (drums), Mike Nelson (bass) and Nick Devlin (guitars and lap steel) are a terrific country band. The beauty of this album is it captures that same kind of magic Dwight Yoakam offered up 20 years ago and Owens long before him. The music is essentially rural, but not primitive. It is every man, but the folks in the big city can relate. Second time out and the Salty Dogs have again produced an excellent real country record.
- Jeff Weiss, Miles of Music (Big Bender)
You did a great job on this CD. Great singing, Great cover, Great songs, Great music, Great production!
- Bucky Barrett/Roy Orbison's former guitarist
Real, good country
The Salty Dogs introduce Little Rock to Bakersfield.
By Shea Stewart
Sync Weekly
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
It's hard to point the finger at who or what is responsible for country music moving from its hillbilly, outlaw past into its kitschy, diluted present. Somewhere in the heavens, Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams Sr., Bill Monroe and the Carter Family are bowing their heads in shame at the commercialized rubbish generated by Nashville today.
But from the saloon piano opening of "Pianola," off The Salty Dogs new album Autoharpoon, it's evident the Little Rock band has roundly rejected the slick fluff that passes as country music these days. One can easily picture the tottering piano introduction serving as a soundtrack to a 1920s silent movie, as our drunken hero staggers around the saloon with a final, dooming drink in hand. The preamble rambles straight into the rough and rowdy opener, "Starting Now," showcasing The Salty Dogs' successful melding of the Bakersfield sound with updated Western swing.
Since forming in 2003, though, The Salty Dogs - Brad Williams on vocals and guitars, Mike Nelson on bass, Nick Devlin on lead guitars and lap steel, and Bart Angel on drums - have proved it is not a stretch for an Arkansas band to gaze toward California for inspiration. Filled with barroom piano solos, swooning lap steel stylings, electric guitar picking and a shuffling, swinging rhythm section, Autoharpoon probably has Buck Owens searching for a dance partner for a triple step through the clouds.
The good: At the heart of great country music is the melding of the words and sound; the voice behind the poetry and the rustic yet refined music. Williams delivering lines such as "Pretty baby, don't you cry/I can't tell you the reason why/You were a bad excuse just to pass away the time" ("Starting Now") captures why country music can be both joyous and heartbreaking in one succinct verse. The stinging lyrical blow can almost be shrugged off because the music swings, but the crushing jolt of the words remains after the song fades. It is with the perfect merging of misery and jubilation - or shame and pride - where real country music succeeds, and, on Autoharpoon, The Salty Dogs discover the exact moment more often than not.
On "The People Cried," The Salty Dogs demonstrate they can mix the narrative songwriting of Bruce Springsteen over a haunting, tear-stained country song. And "Heaven's Gates/Hell's Flames Pt. 2" might be the album's best moment, a fluent country gospel hymn featuring two outstanding guitar solos that effortlessly float over the heartfelt rhythm.
The bad: The Salty Dogs do a great job of masking their influences for the most part on Autoharpoon. The problem - and it is a slight nuisance - is the band's influences leak through a little too often. For a band that has been plying its trade for only four years, it is forgivable, but as The Salty Dogs evolve the challenge will be to successfully blend its influences into a unique sound of its own ... and that doesn't mean adding synthesizers.
Must haves: "Starting Now," "The People Cried," "Why You Been Gone So Long?," "Heaven's Gates/Hell's Flames Pt. 2"
Rating (out of 5): 4
(Autoharpoon) "...a solid, twelve-song collection of honky-tonk, Western swing and Southern gospel." Arkansas Times
"The best country and western band in Arkansas..."
- Localist magazine
Little Rock's honky-tonk heroes the Salty Dogs have a new record, "Autoharpoon," and national distribution through Big Bender Records. The album, the band's third, finds it honing its Western swing/classic country sound to near perfection. Lead singer Brad Williams was born in Marked Tree, but he leads the Dogs like he's a natural heir to the Bakersfield sound of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. Even twanged up, Williams has a clear, booming voice. He writes heartfelt songs about love and love lost, and on the band's new record, a fuzzed-out, menacing blues about walking the line between heaven and hell that country shuffles towards redemption. Expect the Dogs to pull out covers familiar and obscure, including Percy Sledge's "Take Time to Know Her" and Johnny Darrell's "Why You Been Gone So Long."
- Lindsey Millar/Arkansas Times
If you like traditional country music in the vein of George Jones & Johnny Cash.....then do whatever you need to obtain a copy of Autoharpoon...the 3rd release (2nd full release-first disc was an EP). This disc has EVERYTHING one wants from a great country album: great single: "Starting Now", a touch of Gospel: "Holding to My Lord" a dash of Johnny Cash: "When My Blood Runs Cold" and an amazing 2-part gem entitled: "Heaven's Gates/Hell's Flames, Pt. 1 & 2"....plus an great performance from ELVIS' original drummer: DJ Fontana. Country music radio ought to be ashamed of itself that it doesn't play music such as the Salty Dogs-so since you can't hear it there-BUY THIS DISC-you will NOT be disappointed!
- Robert Wagner
Arkansas Democrat/Gazette - June 10th, 2007(Excerpt)
"...the cd works because the songwriting is strong and the irony is nonexistent. When my blood runs cold takes Johnny Cash's stripped-down approach and marries it to a prisoner's lament and still seems somehow fresh. Water to wine works into a smoking guitar workout. Starting now is a honky tonk winner with a happy pulse."
- Werner Trieschmann
"Starting Now is as fine an example of swinging country music as you will find this side of Bob Wills and is driven by drummer D. J. Fontana..."
"When My Blood Runs Cold is as close to Johnny Cash as I ever heard outside of Sun Studios."
- Nightflying Magazine
I might not be much on writing reviews, but I do know what I like. And I like Autoharpoon, the new release by The Salty Dogs. It's good to know that somebody in this day and age of KRPY Country can still write and perform real country music. Brad Williams wrote all but a couple of the tunes on this release and any one of them outshines anything on country radio today. You might have caught Brad and Bart on NNN a few weeks ago performing a couple of tunes for us. Pretty good, huh? I suggest you go out and get this cd. It should be available soon, if not already. You won't regret it, look for them playing around town and see them often.
- Flap from KABF 88.3 F.M./Not Necessarily Nashville
Arkansas Times Review - 5.31.2007
Fans of Dwight Yoakam listen up: There's another Dwight on the country music scene and he lives in our very own backyard. On the Salty Dogs' latest album, "Autoharpoon" (Big Bender Records), Marked Tree native Brad Williams does Dwight better than the man himself. The resemblance is perhaps most obvious on the album's second track, "Starting Now," an up-tempo song about a summer fling that's faded on which Williams' high-nasal twang two-steps across a simple melody. For that song, the Little Rock-based group sought out famed drummer D.J. Fontana, who played with Elvis Presley for a decade and a half. Williams approached Fontana via a shot-in-the-dark e-mail, asking him to play on the track. Luckily, Fontana was interested and available. Bart Angel (percussion, drums), Mike Nelson (bass) and Nick Devlin (guitar, lap steel) round out the group.
Williams wrote all but three songs on the 12-track "Autoharpoon," and in his originals, he exploits traditional country themes but does them straight-faced, somewhat surprisingly. If you're half-anticipating a tongue-in-cheek take on these honky-tonk topics (something that Colorado's Slim Cessna's Auto Club does best), you'll be disappointed. This, folks, is pure country, or pure vintage country, so much so that I can almost hear Dale Hawkins saying, "They just don't make 'em like this anymore." On "The People Cried," you'll find a man working at a paper mill trying to put food on the table and shoes on his kids' feet (wanting only "the bare necessities"). While Williams' lyrics are easy - predictable, even - they come off as honest rather than trite. On "Holding to My Lord," the prettiest song on the album, Williams moves effortlessly from country to gospel with the help of Virginia Williams (background vocals) and Steve Brauer (banjo).
The Salty Dogs, who essentially formed to win a battle-of-the-bands contest a few years back, have gone on to put out albums that have the spirit of country and the grace of Southern gospel. Here you have feel-good, down-to-earth (but not down-on-the-farm) stuff that's sure to satisfy the die-hard Dwight fans and those of us who aren't quite willing to admit that we are.
- Nicole Boddington
The Arkansas Times' readers voted The Salty Dogs as the 2006 Runner-up in the "Best Local Band" category.
The Salty Dogs and Friends
I just received The Salty Dogs and Friends CD today, so I decided to listen to it right away instead of procrastinating like I usually do. I am glad that I did. The Salty Dogs give a new meaning to eclectic. The songs on the CD span the spectrum of music from bluegrass gospel to modern country, and include some great honky tonk, zydeco, traditional swing, and a Johnny Cash type song. I enjoyed their creativeness in themes but the harmony on some of the songs is their strongest asset. My favorite cut is number 4, "Let's Try Again". It is a traditional country sound with a good beat, good harmony and instrumentation. The song has a good hook. Cuts 2, "Thanks For The Memories", and 10, "A Way To Survive", present the Honky Tonk side of the band, and they play the sound in a real traditional way. I certainly enjoyed those songs. I was surprised to hear such a pure bluegrass gospel sound from The Salty Dogs, based upon the sounds that I heard on the other songs, but they are also able to switch to Zydeco and do a great job with it. Their simple, clean sound on cut 5, "How Can I Get Over You?", would make Johnny Cash proud. Cuts 1, "Lifetime Of Love", and 7, "Oversize Load", even take a good shot at the modern country sound but fortunately The Salty Dogs didn't over-process, over-play, and over-compress the music like so many of the Nashville artists do. All in all, this is a great CD that covers most all country fans' preferences in music. Keep up the good work. You have a good thing going, Salty Dogs.
- Kenneth Butch Rose, Oklahoma Night Productions
The Salty Dogs and friends album was named the 12th Best Country Release of 2004 by Country Standard Time.
What a cool surprize this CD is! Reminicent of Buddy Miller or Dwight Yoakam, this is some of the best country music happening. Well written songs, emotion-drenched vocals, stellar musicianship -these guys have it all! Though all the songs are new, written by band leader Brad Williams, they have the sound of classic country, honky tonk and western swing. How they manage to sound vintage and fresh at the same time is a real trick. This Little Rock band are true keepers of the country flame and just a whole lot of fun.
- Kevin Russell/Freight Train Boogie - ****
I am quite impressed. Its good hard core salt of the earth country, something very rare in these slick times. -Jason Ringenberg (Jason and the Scorchers)
The Salty Dogs and Friends from Little Rock, Ark., and d*** proud of it, the Salty Dogs present a liquor-drenched and heartache-heavy dose of retro honky tonk on their nifty full-length debut. As the title implies, the band gets plenty of help from its hometown pals, who represent Little Rock well. It only takes a few songs, specifically the bluegrass influenced "Comfort and Rest," to learn that lead singer and main songwriter Brad Williams has listened to his fair share of Dwight Yoakam records. That's not a bad thing at all, and Williams, who plays guitar in the Little Rock roots rock/power pop band Big Silver, proves that he has plenty of talent to match his good taste in music. He shines on songs like the deceptively simple "Let's Try Again," a duet with Amy Garland, and "Outcast," a hoot of a tune about a man "wearing horned rimmed glasses and a three-piece suit and a bow tie just for spite" on which Williams plays all the instruments. The rest of the Dogs, who Williams borrowed from Garland's band, show plenty of skills and just the right touch throughout. The Salty Dogs' dynamite debut might look backward to country music's past, but it sure leaves you looking forward to hearing more from this talented band in the future. Country Standard Time
- Andy Turner
From Little Rock, Arkansas, The Salty Dogs are rolling out some of the most twangin', traditional, vintage and rockin' country in town. With songs written and fronted by Brad Williams, whose other gig is guitarist with roots-popers Big Silver, The Salty Dogs successful capture the sound of old-school Bakersfield honky-tonk. At its most tasteful, Nick Devlin's lap-steel playing is as smooth as silk. Bart Angel's drumming softly shuffles along while Williams' voice rolls out like brandy. The harmonies are just as smooth on tracks like "Thanks For The Memories" and "Let's Try Again", the latter featuring the duet vocals of Amy Garland. On the rockin' edge are tracks like "Oversize Load", which likens the roadway annoyance with other live/love issues. "Comfort And Rest" adds a hint of bluegrass gospel in to the mix of these songs of heartache and loss - a staple to this genre. And with the right voice in Williams to add the necessary conviction, this full-length debut is the best thing East of Dwight Yoakam.
- Miles of Music
Listen to these dogs bark: Salty Little Rock band and friends outdo Dwight Yoakam Rating: A- The Salty Dogs and Friends
Wow. Little Rock's Salty Dogs may have formed on a lark as a way for its seasoned hands to enter (and ultimately win) a battle of the bands contest, but this quartet - Brad Williams, Bart Angel, Mike Nelson and Nick Devlin - is making country music that has few rivals across the nation. We'd bet money the casual fan couldn't tell the difference between the Dogs and Dwight Yoakam, especially as lead singer (and chief songwriter) Williams is a dead ringer for Yoakam at his best. In fact, "The Halloween Song," a classic don't-leave me lament, is better than Yoakam has been lately. "Comfort and Rest" is an original gospel/bluegrass hymn where you keep searching for the irony and the tongue in the cheek and, happily, never find it. The friends part of this CD includes familiar names in the Little Rock scene such as Amy Garland, Scott E. Diffee and John McAteer. It's called spreading the wealth, and this group has riches to spare.
- Werner Trieschmann/Arkansas Democrat Gazette August 22, 2004
This CD was an unexpected treat to receive and hear - one of the joys of being known as a person who reviews unknown and self-published independent bands. The project was produced by this Little Rock band who formed in 2003 in order to enter the Arkansas Times Musician Showcase. They swept the showcase earning the title the "Best Original Band in Arkansas." This is their first "full-length" album and I hope it is not the last. All the songs were written by band vocalist Brad Williams, save one co-write. And these are mighty fine songs, too - primarily traditional and classic country with quality lyrics that'll have you cryin' in your beer with the best of 'em. There is plenty of that vintage Bakersfield sound, a bit of twangin', a Mexican polka, and a country gospel number.I don't know if they ever get out of Arkansas, so you will probably have to buy their CD to hear them. I do know that they are way too talented to make it on nationwide commercial radio.
- Bill Groll www.countryrootsmusic.com/reviews/
The Salty Dogs Deliver
As if we needed proof that the Little Rock scene is a close-knit, incestuous beast, one band, Big Silver, not only offers it, but the entire pot of pudding as well.
It goes like this: Lead singer Isaac Alexander is in two other bands, The Easys and Molten Lava. The Easys also employs the moonlighting services of Jason Weinheimer, lead singer of the Boondogs and sometimes fill-in bass player for Big Silver.
Drummer Bart Angel fills up his spare time backing up his wife, Amy Garland. The Amy Garland band also includes Nick Devlin on guitar and Mike Nelson on bass (Nelson also pulls bass duty for Big Silver when he is needed).
Add Big Silver guitarist Brad Williams to the list of boys in more than one band. Williams founded the country-flavored Salty Dogs (which includes all of Garland's band, Devlin playing lap steel) back around the time that the Arkansas Times' Musicians Showcase was happening. Williams claims that the band was not put together to take that prize home, it just seemed like a good opportunity to debut the outfit.
As it turns out, the Salty Dogs did win the contest. The prizes included a slot on the big stage at Riverfest, which the boys used to their fullest advantage. It could be argued that the band made the biggest impression of any local band at the annual event.
Williams is a true showman in the most traditional since of the word. His "aw shucks" attitude swings the crowd over to his side, and then the band wows them with Williams' well-crafted songs and the band's musical prowess.
Just last week the Salty Dogs held their official release party for CD "King of Broken Hearts" with a three-band bill that included, guess who, Big Silver. These guys have got it down, if you open for yourselves, you double your money. That's just smart rock.
"King of Broken Hearts" is a big ol' steamin' bowl of vintage country music right down to its throw-back packaging, which features a photo of the group in western suits and cowboy hats (except Devlin, who decided to go a more conservative route, I guess because he's from Scotland). Williams wrote all of the songs, except for the heartbreak ballad "A Way to Survive," which was written by Williams and Garland.
The album was recorded "live" at Blue Chair Studios out in Austin, Ark., by Darian Stribling. Stribling is quickly gaining a reputation as a top-notch engineer. If he's not careful, he may single-handedly cause a mass exodus to the small town.
The trouble with a lot of "throw back" music is that it's just not convincing. It's as if the people trying to play this type of music have never actually heard this type of music, they just like the look and figure they can fake the rest. This is not the case with the Salty Dogs.
Williams hales from Marked Tree, a small town at the end of the New Madrid fault. He comes by his music honestly. Raised on a healthy dose of bluegrass, country, and old rock and roll (later he discovered Kiss and Dwight Yoakam on his own), Williams knows his stuff.
The only problem with this album, if you can call it a problem, is that it's a little tame. To pull off the country style, the Dogs have toned down the rock side of things. Still, "King of Broken Hearts" is probably one of the best overall releases to come out of Little Rock in the last year or so. The CD was released on the Spin South label (operated by Weinheimer and wife, Indy Grotto) and is available at Salty Dogs shows and hip local record shops all over town.
- Kevin Kerby, The Arkansas Times , July 4, 2003
...this Western swing/traditional country outfit takes a minimalist approach to good ol' musicianship and songwriting, penning numbers with heatwarming lines like "I'm a revved up hot rod love makin' son of a gun." Complete with lots of finger-snaps, steel guitar, and catchy call-and-response choruses, the Salty Dogs are one of the few Little Rock groups that can inspire both bar brawls and swing dancing.
- Little Rock Monthly, August 2004
"The songs are extremely well written by Brad Williams...they're that kind of wonderful working-stuff of Hank Williams and Merle Haggard, Buck Owens and Marty Robbins, bursting with energy and fine touches of fiddle and harp and steel guitar...In memory of Johnny Cash."
- Nightflying
These guys were the winners of the 2003 Arkansas Times' Musicians Showcase. I think this record would have made Buck Owens smile, with its raw electric twang reminiscent of the Bakersfield sound in the early 60's. You can't help but tap your foot along with this one.
- Greg Holland, The Free Press
"How Ya'll Doin" Set the Mood
The Salty Dogs
Living Room
Sat. Feb. 21, 2004
By Paul Peterson
From the corner of my eye emerged a black cowboy hat resting comfortably atop the crown of vocalist and guitar strummer, Brad Williams. He was holding the neck of a red, white and blue acoustic electric casting a shimmering reflection of stage lights against the backdrop of his black coat and pants, resembling a tricked-out but tasteful Buck Owens design.
By this time, patrons were lining the staircase and intensely scanning the room for a place to stand. The only empty seat in the house was bolted to the restroom floor, and I didn't notice anyone carrying a gigantic pipe wrench. I felt like the closing moments before a horse race.
For the next two and one half hours I thoroughly enjoyed a finely crafted set that kept a roomful of people swaying back and forth on their feet or swaggering in their chairs circled around every table in the house.
What I do know is this: anyone who asks an audience, "How y'all doin'?" (As Williams did) is good people; and the sheer honesty of saying, "We're not gonna even tune," two-thirds into the set is as equally admirable. Not once did they ever sound out of tune to me.
I also know that when quittin' time rolled around, I felt twice as country-deep-fried as I was upon my arrival three hours earlier. The Salty Dogs could whip some Nashville Opry a** if they ever desire to do so. Any rhythm section in which the bassist sits or stands at will is cool. Bart is the only upright drummer I've seen since the Stray Cats. He easily one-ups ole' tattooed Lee Rocker by being flanked by a one-and-a-half piece kit so stripped to its essentials that sitting down is no option and one leg is responsible for balancing himself while the other stomps a kick drum, nonstop. The "and-a-half-piece" indicated a piccolo snare measuring 3 inches deep at best, rims included.
If drummer Charlie Watts and bassist Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones once were know as "the straightest rhythm section I rock," implied both literally and figuratively, then it may be safe to suggest that drummer Bart and bassist Nelson should be top contenders for the most jovial.
I also know that whatever and whenever Devlin plays, it is delivered with equal parts tastefulness and twice the conviction. His surgical precision with a steel slide guitar could make even Jack the Ripper feel remorse.
Simply put, the Salty Dogs' skillful combination of William's song writing is cross indexed with genres rooted in country rhythm and blues (light on the blues) and results in a musical two-stepping elixir that swings, waltzes, shuffles and maybe even tangos here and there. It certainly rocks, which is why I'll be there the next time they play, and will hold myself at knife point if necessary to arrive early enough to land a good seat.
Excerpts from Little Rock Free Press
March 1-31, 2004