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Dark underground country music aka "hillbilly noir" penned by heavy-handed Modern Hillbilly guitarist/songwriter Rand Reynolds.
Genre:
Country: Americana
Release Date:
2007
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American X
© Copyright-Rand Reynolds
Record Label: RescueDisk recordings, Bloomington, IN
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Art is never safe, and Indiana songwriter Rand Reynolds is dead set on proving this with every cd he records. This particular collection of hillbilly noir is primarily minimalist songs trimmed down to the bone with tight well-timed boomer acoustic guitar rhythms. Reynolds' material accents an underlying darkness with a stark twang. Not only is AmericanX groundbreaking in style and character, but the songs are, quite simply, kick ass. Reynolds' strong suit is in his graphic brutal lyrics set to disguised "country-ish" tunes which are, in fact, tastefully twisted acoustic indictments of his own misfortunes, mistakes and mayhem. Reynolds' hallmark punch and drive in AmericanX submerges listeners back into the human abyss lit by sparks of compassion and understanding that he seems intent on exposing, then championing. This cd, however, does show a gentler softer side at times, and one suspects that Reynolds is still a closet romantic at heart, in spite of his self-admonishing warnings. Truly unique Americana music from this Midwestern artist.
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American X
author: William E Handy Jr
Rand Reynolds seems intent on keeping his side of the street clean and clearing away the wreckage of his past. This is a man who is not afraid to admit what he did wrong, and then make public gut-wrenching amends through his music. You will hear brutal honesty similar to Johnny Cash’s pleadings near the end of his life.
Every song that Rand Reynolds records seems to be an invitation to witness a past disaster or share in a future hope in Rand’s life. Sometimes I feel like he’s making a deep confession and it’s me listening behind the screen. Other times I feel he is asking me to watch his back and bolster his courage.
His guitar playing is unrestrained with emotional timing shifts, changes in intensity and muscular bending of notes. His playing is in honest partnership with his vocal skills… You will experience firsthand the raw emotion that Rand Reynolds is so bravely putting down. Rand has already produced an impressive body of work. After becoming familiar with all of it, I am amazed at the consistent brutal honesty and high emotional content.
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