Review: Rocky Votolato - The Brag & Cuss (or) keep your eyes on the road

Posted on 16 May 2007 | 3 Comments

Filed Under: Album Reviews, Americana

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My wife and I have been big Rocky Votolato fans from the first time we saw him perform at Chicago’s Fireside Bowl back in 2003 when we were instantly drawn to his earnest working-class brand of country-tinged acoustic rock. Now about to release his fifth solo album ,The Brag & Cuss, Votolato has (if anything) added a little more twang what was already a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll.

Now recently Dodge from My Old Kentucky Blog referred to Votolato’s music as “Whiskeytown light” and “diet Ryan Adams.” I don’t think that anything could be farther from the truth. Where Ryan Adams has embraced his celebrity (and his music suffered as a result) Votolato is the guy living in the shadows who is making a living but barely scraping by. He is a hard-working father of two whose earnest and whiskey-soaked voice has the ability to tear right through you. It is also hard to imagine that his words (which can cut straight to the bone) can be so poetic.

On The Brag & Cuss, Rocky Votolato’s acoustic guitar and vocals are joined by harmonica, organ, and banjos in what is a fuller sounding album than his last. The additional instrumentation doesn’t detract from the sincerity and honesty of his music. He still plays with the attitude and heart of a punk-rocker. Before going it alone, Votolato honed his skills fronting the Seattle post-hardcore band Waxwing in which his brother Cody also played until he joined The Blood Brothers.

I highly recommend picking up any Rocky Votolato albums you can get your hands on including The Brag & Cuss. It is due out June 19th on Barsuk Records.

MP3 | Rocky Votolato – Postcard From Kentucky The Brag & Cuss
MP3 | Rocky Votolato – Red Dragon Wishes The Brag & Cuss

And a sampling of some of his earlier material…

MP3 | Rocky Votolato – Suicide Medicine Suicide Medicine
MP3 | Rocky Votolato – One Day You Won’t be Here Makers (Bonus)

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