Album Notes

A little bit Cache Valley Drifters, a little bit Salamander Crossing, and a whole lot of fun, Briarwood will get your toes tapping and your face smiling!

Put Another Bullet In The Jukebox is Briarwood’s debut release. It features two songs by guitarist Sutherland, two songs recorded live at the 2003 Wild Iris Folk Festival, the politically incorrect title track written by a dear friend of the band, and six other toe-tapping favorites which showcase the band’s range of interests.

What the critics have to say:

"I have been dancing to 'Left Over Biscuits' on your CD today." Keeley, age 7, near Manchester England

"It’s great to have you all here in my living room sharing your sweet harmonies, wonderful string sound, and humorous approach to life's questions and dilemmas. Your music brings a smile to my heart."
-- Marcia Sloane, cellist, singer, and composer, Navarro, California (www.NavarroRiverMusic.com)

"Got your album... it's great, I love it. We've been playing a lot of dark music lately, and this is really bright and out there!"
-- Joe Zeytoonian, (ud, darbuka, vocal) Miami, Florida (www.harmonicmotion.com)

"Briarwood is a local Bay Area band with a debut album filled with some bluegrass standards and some bouncy, saucy tunes ala The Austin Lounge Lizards. The title cut, “Put Another Bullet in the Jukebox,” written by Pete Conolly, is a tongue-in-cheek backwards glance at a suffering love affair sung by bassist Topher Gayle. “Compadres in the Old Sierra Madre,” locally popularized by the Waybacks, is given a polishing with fiddle from Rachel Rosenburg and some banjo and mandolin licks from Joe Buczek and Chris Finn. Joe also sings the vocal lead on the “Leftover Biscuits,” a bouncy tune bemoaning the sorry state of the kitchen after “she done leftover me.” Guitarist Craig Sutherland wrote two of the songs and sings lead vocal on many of the songs.

His “What’s Done Is Done,” is a wistful look at a departed love with “the restraining order that gets in the way.” He also wrote “Dr. Dean,” a tribute to television doctor Dr. Dean Edell. The bluegrass classic “Blue Train” features some strong harmony singing from the rest of the band and a nice mix of lead breaks from the fiddle, banjo and mandolin. With this band, ensemble is an operative word and with the addition of fiddler Gail Reese, the instrumentation and vocals are certain to jump to new heights." Brenda Hough, California Bluegrass Association CBA Breakdown Newsletter, August 2006 (www.cbaontheweb.org)

Cool Things We’ve Done:
- Craig’s song “Dr. Dean” has been played twice on the nationally
syndicated Doctor Dean Edell Show.
- We were pleased and excited to be asked to play at the 2003 Wild Iris
Folk Festival and the 2006 Brookdale Blugrass Festival.

Briarwood is:
Joe Buczek, resonator guitar, banjo and vocals
Chris Finn, mandolin, bass and vocals
Topher Gayle, bass, mandolin, guitar and vocals
Gail Reese, fiddle and vocals
Craig Sutherland, guitar and vocals