Subdudes - Street Symphony

The Subdudes are one of new Orleans best-kept secrets. They've been making music for the past twenty years. With each CD, I keep expecting a big hit. Perhaps Street Symphony is the one.

The music's good solid basic rock with a bluesy jazz flair. This group believes in keeping it light enough to travel and they could just as easily set up on the corner as Carnegie Hall. In live sets, none of the band members will play anything that they cannot carry onto the stage themselves.

Their songs are often stories, like some of the best folk-rockers. I got caught up in the uplifting ones from prior albums, notably Miracle Mule. This collection in general is a bit less lighthearted than prior ones. Work Clothes On talks about responsibility. The temptation to play hooky from work and go fishin' leads to unpaid bills and eventually his work clothes are an orange prison jumper.

The remainder of the CD all has messages, beautifully written and performed. If you haven't heard them, give the Subdudes a try. If you liked their prior releases, you will more than likely enjoy this one as well. ~ R. Kyle Knoxville, TN

• Fountain Of Youth
• Poor Man's Paradise
• Stranger
• Thorn In Her Side
• No Man
• Fair Weather Friend
• Brother Man
• Half Of the Story
• Work Clothes
• Absolutely
• I'm In Your Town
• Street Symphony