© Bluestronomical Publishing Inc. 2007

Jeff Lang
Prepare Me Well: An Introduction to Jeff Lang
Telarc #CD-83636

Jeff's an acoustic master; His amped acoustic axe is incredible and his electric's bad, too. His presence is felt on the National axe and the mandolin he plays. Lang break out the acoustic lap steel and the harmonium on "London". It's a 12-string bottleneck heard on "Bateman's Bay". He sings and handles the trowel. Tim Hall's a second guitarist on "Whatever Makes You Happy".

Augus Diggs drums and he thumps on the percussion, and Martin Lynds drums, too: Grant Cummerford fingers the four string bass guitar and his upright. Carson Gray plugged his electric bass on "Gina"; Eric Brace's the backing vox.

Greg O'Leary plays a mean fiddle. Ashley Davies' the skinner on "Too Easy To Kill". Joe Accaria's the snare drummer on "Mr. God". The bass drum was Les Karski's job. Tim Hall, Trish Anderson, Chris Wilson, Suzanna Espie and Sarah Caroll are the backing vocalists on "The Save".

Lang's music and the lyrics are poetry. "The Save" is about a train on its tracks; It's the Indian Pacific. The beginning makes tremendous use of the female background singers. The beat chugs along. Jeff overlays his National and his mandolin on the fast ballad, "The Road Is Not Your Only Friend".

Jeff's an eclectic musician. He uses many axes and different tools in his trade. It's all music ... great music! Some spicy, some slowed down: A change-a-pace album/CD. A disc you can impress your friends with.

- Mark A. Cole -


Southwest Blues CD Review - April 2007

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