Mark Allan Atwood and Brimstone

– Rebels, Old Souls, New Horizons

Over the past two years Melissa and I have worked closely with Mark Allan Atwood on several projects and we have gotten to know him much better not only as a friend, but as a sounding board for our ideas about the Texas music industry. I think I know Mark well enough by now to voice my take on his songs without offending. Mark Allan Atwood has been a Texas musician and songwriter for many years and I consider him a Texas treasure. Not only is he one of the best singer songwriters around, he is one of the least appreciated in the business today. He has a quality and cohesiveness to his lyrics that, although not always apparent at first, subconsciously grow as one listens to the songs. The words pass through your ears and roll around in your head, then the true lyrical greatness, feelings, and depth of meaning follow after. He has a strong singing voice, clear and loud, or soft and low when required but always demanding your attention. It does not matter if it is a slow serious song or a belting ballad he annunciates the choruses with heart and feeling, and not an ounce of trepidation.

Listening to the rough tracks from several of the songs on the new CD “Burned at the Crossroads” I’ll admit I was a little nonchalant and cursory at first. Later I was able to listen more closely to the music and the complexities of his words while Melissa was developing the ideas she would later use as the album artwork.

I am going to get the only issue I have with this collection of great songs out on the table and up front. I  also know it is a personal opinion. Not one that is unfounded, although it is an unpopular position with younger musicians today. It seems as if almost every songwriter has a signature song with references to Marijuana. It’s nothing new to the business, but it tends to limit the marketability of a song when it comes to airplay time. Let’s face it, the bottom line is in the end every song written has a dream of being a number one hit on the radio. Otherwise, why try to market the song in the first place. I personally would have liked to have seen at least two of the first four songs, be different songs. Preferably not three songs about drug use at the veritable beginning of what I think could be a defining point in Mark Allan Atwood’s musical career. I have no issues with the songs themselves per se, just the order they were placed in during engineering. I believe in putting your best foot forward so to speak, and one song with some vague references could be more easily acceptable in my humble opinion. Though I am suitably impressed he figured out how to use the word “Paraquat” in a song. . There I got it off my chest, let’s move on.

All that being said this collection of hit songs excels on every other level. Produced and engineered by Brimstone and Adam Odor (Stone Cringe) and recorded by the guys at Yellow Dog Studios, This CD touts guest appearances by Lloyd Maines and subtle background vocals by Bonnie Whitmore, and includes the songwriting talents of Heath Childs and Dennis Phillips. The top notch talent of the Brimstone band consists of Mark Allan Atwood on vocals, guitar, and harmonica, Wayne O’Neil on lead guitar, Matt Nunn on Bass, Rich Tulp on Drums, and “Uncle” Mitch Connell on Piano and B3 organ.

There are many reflective and precise songs on this CD, and every one is unique and imaginative. Some are dark, and some are retro and groovy like the song “Liar”, but every song on the CD invokes common feelings we all have at some point in our lives.

“Anyone listening” is one of the most powerful songs I have ever heard. Everyone has felt the cold grasp of loneliness at times. There are so many people in our world today who battle with loneliness and depression. From the plight of the elderly, to the struggling teenager, to the handicapped veteran, all of them are screaming out just to be noticed. Wanting anyone to acknowledge them, spend a moment or two talking with them, showing them they really matter and still have some worth in life. Another powerful and well written song is “Dead man”. It’s about the end of a relationship, and the beginning of the long hard road to surviving that loss. It speaks of the situations we create for ourselves, when we are forced to accept the harsh reality of life without someone we rely on. In “Good Old Days” and “Ocalla Road” Mark sings about nostalgia for the things of an earlier time, and a younger world when life seemed more safe and simple. By far the most fun song is “Good Dog”. The gals will giggle, and the guys will say sheepish things but the truth is a dog really can be a man’s best friend. When it comes to unconditional love, a good one can’t be beat.

Finishing up, I want to comment on “Ghost”, and “California” two of the premiere songs on the CD. Singers like Townes Van Zandt and Doug Sahm were the pioneers who forged the way for many early Texas and Americana musicians. Townes’ lyrical style has always been a driving force for Texas songwriters. They all want to write songs as close to his style as they can. His music was raw and gutsy, and  definately not flashy or mainstream.  Musicians struggle to write songs like those and still remain unique and different, and then to be acknowledged as such. It works really well but sometimes it works too well. “Ghost” is about the spirit of Van Zandt always being present for some. There is always one guy in the crowd who wants to hear “Pancho and Lefty”. Listen carefully to the words of “Ghost” and you’ll hear a little bit of TVZ in every sentence. Then skip on over to “California” at the end of the CD. A haunting dreamscape Mark paints of the California Gold Rush and a mine cave-in in a small town. The song begins with a first person narrative from a trapped miner awaiting rescue that never comes. Then the story changes to the point of view of the great, great grandson of that very same miner and a revelation of what it must have been like. Mark Allen has written a spectacular song, with a twisted and riveting ending. My final opinion on Mark Allan Atwood’s composition “Burned at the Crossroads” is this is one of the most down to earth, bare bones, hard hitting CD’s of the year. Raw, emotional, entertaining, and energetic, and one of my favorite CD’s of all times. Mark Allan Atwood and Brimstone are a fast rising force in Texas Music today and all I can say is great work, and keep ‘em coming!

Dale Arnold

Co-owner, Co-producer

Texas Red Productions

www.hwy82musicreview.com

~Where LIVE music is an addiction!

Justin Bowerman

In Persuit of Life,Love and…well…Wild Game.

In the pine thickets of East Texas and forests of Southern Arkansas is where I grew up. My family hails from in and around the Texarkana area. During my early childhood and young adult life I hunted and fished almost every part of these areas. That is one of the main reasons why Justin Bowerman’s musical style has such a nostalgic attraction for me.

When I first got his CD "Rock You"  and even before I listened to his music, I took a long look at the musicians who recorded the material. Immediately I knew it was going to sound and be a great CD. The cover art was simple and un-cluttered sporting his unmistakable fish-hook signature logo, and some very tasteful and well placed candid photos. The music was recorded and produced by Stormy Cooper (The Roger Creager Band) at Stormy Cooper Media in Houston. Stormy also performed on the CD along with Josh Owen, and Allen Huff also of The Roger Creager Band. Veteran Bassist Rankin Peters who has been called the best Bass player in Texas. Others contributing their talents were Fiddle player Chris Whitten (The Cody Johnson Band), sound engineer Lyndon Hughes on drums and percussion, and the great Kenny Jackson on Steel Guitar. Slipping the CD into my player, I eagerly drank in every song. His voice has a smooth, velvet-like texture, easy on your ears. Justin can hold the vocal strong notes to just the right length.

Songs like “Jugline”, and “Deer Meat” are a sportsman’s anthem. I can picture all of the Hunter’s and Fishermen standing up when one of these songs comes on the radio. Removing their hats, and wiping a sympathetic tear from the corner of an eye. “Hell or High Water” continues the call of the wild. It speaks of stepping out of the daily grind and letting nature take its course. If you ask me, it could possibly start another back to the land movement.

Justin Bowerman has appeal for the ladies too with songs like “Rock You”, “Almost Love”, and “4^th of July”. Justin shows he can write and sing a great country Love song that everyone will like. The Guys had better grab their best sweetheart and start boot-scootin’. I’ll bet the girls will be swooning and screaming at the edge of the stage when he belts out any of these tunes, or I’ll buy you a Kenny Chesney CD.

A personal favorite of mine is “Listen Good”. My wife has a saying whenever someone ends up telling her, a perfect stranger, their life story just like Justin sings in this song. She say’s “My sign must have been on”. Pertaining to the old Peanuts comics where Lucy has her psychology stand set out and gives Good old Charlie Brown her personal life advice for a nickel. It’s a song about how folks sometimes cope with the stress of everyday life, and the good-hearted people who get the wave of emotions that tend to spill out at awkward moments.

I’m not going to give away all of the gems Justin has put on this well made, great listening and fun compilation of songs. You will have to get his CD and judge for yourself. Justin Bowerman has all of the makings of a great singer and songwriter. He writes his lyrics from the heart, and his life. He has something to say through his music that every listener can relate to, and succeeds in bringing you right into his frame of mind. It shows Justin can hold his own, as far as song writing and musical skills go, with any of the popular artists out there today. I’m waiting on Justin to head out on tour so I can catch him live onstage. Watch your local venues for his name, and don’t miss out on hearing an All-American original like Justin Bowerman.

Dale Arnold

Co-Owner, Co-Producer

Texas Red Productions

http://www.hwy82musicreview.com/

~Where LIVE music is an addiction!