| From the May 7, 2004 edition of The Red Deer Advocate newspaper | |
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David Davis & the Warrior River Boys David Davis & the Warrior River Boys (Rebel) |
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 Albums seldom come stronger to the spirit of Mr. Monroe than the latest from David Davis & the Warrior River Boys. Harmonies ebb and flow over and through the lead vocals of Davis, possessor of one of bluegrass music's finest voices. The song selection on this long-awaited release is masterful with just enough of the old mixing with some wonderful new songs. "Today's The Day I Get My Gold Watch and Chain" has the appropriate measure of bitterness while "It's Just An Old Body" is glorious in its spirit. The highlight is Bill Grant's "In The Shade of the Big Buffalo," a Southern redemption ballad awash with lyrical catamounts, (correctly pronounced) coyotes, and a couple dead bodies. Every song, whether of recent vintage or a standard, sounds instantly familiar with a freshness and vibrancy that only the finest bluegrass artists deliver. Owen Saunder's fiddle work grabs the listener's attention and Jeff Griffy's lead guitar runs are paramount to the band's traditional sound. The Warrior River Boys' first album in a decade semaphores to all that the boys are back. |
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