Cuesta Ridge Mountain Boys opens with a dance number - Keep On The Grass - that had me kicking my boots, or rather, my birkenstocks in the air while whooping and hollering but in a civilized manner.  Being an instrumental, it beckons a little yelling from the listeners and dancers.  The same could be said of Finger Pickin' Good, a short and fullfilling jam.

Next, was Sunsets in the West that can described as a song for the road - road trip, that is.  The opening is melodic and when the singers chant "Transcends my thoughts. Ease in my soul" together, there's a bit of Grateful Dead and Buddhism in there. And the ending is as though the sun had set with a bit of purple.

Hard Luck Tough Times has a narrated story of a fictitious person or perhaps just a general outlook of the band.  The guitar picking has a strong solo presence, more so than the other tracks except for perhaps Bloodline Ireland which is riddled with enough pickin' for any leperchaun. 

On Kentucky Moonshine, it's a single vocalist.  This is a dynamic song that moves from folk, to blues, to ska, to a ballad, and even to serenading a guitar.  And it has my favorite lyrics: "Sister, where you going?  She's on a mission to find the Lord."  I hope she does.

The guitar and bass punctuated Mississippi Warhound is enjoyable when you try to sing along.  It's fun to spell M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I a dozen times in a row.

Overall, the album was not what was expected from a local band in San Luis Obispo.  The guitars, mandolin, and bass have folksy synergy.  The lyrical writing is, in addition, humorous, fresh and personal although I very much doubt they have ever been in Kentucky drinking  moonshine.  I hope to hear more from them in the future.  If you buy it, you'll be dancing and shaking your butt, and not just once, which is probably better exercise than Wii Fit.
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