Roots

Latest CD releases reviewed

DEADSTRING BROTHERS

Sao Paulo Bloodshot ***

This album will have anybody with a good sense of rock'n'roll history scratching their heads. Is that the Stones, circa Exile on Main Street?And is that Robert Plant on the title track? Of course it's not. The Deadstring Brothers are an Anglo/ US combo split between London and Detroit, though their heart lies a thousand miles south of the Motor City and a few decades into the past. To be fair, they are very good at what they do, not least Americana ballads such as Yesterday's Styleand The Same Old Rule, and singer/guitarist Kurt Marschke could be Mick Jagger's shadow. However, betraying their influences as obviously as they do doesn't sound like a great long- term career move – even if The River Song is the best Stones/Band song neither of these acts ever wrote. www.deadstringbrothers. com

Download tracks: Yesterday's Style, The River Song

CHARLIE PARR

Too Much Liquor, Not enough Gasoline Independent ****

This new album from recent Irish visitor Charlie Parr is a kind of taster of previous glories, intended to help tempt folks into the warm embrace of his utterly compelling country blues. Parr, from Duluth, Minnesota, is an intriguing artist. Steeped in country blues as a child, he makes music that seems as old as the hills and as sharp, relevant and human as this morning’s news. And, like the great blues players, Parr sings about stories of regular folks, ageing gracelessly, labour disputes, resentment, life’s wheel of hope and disappointment. Essentially, these gripping songs feature just one man and his guitar, occasionally augmented by his wife on vocals or some other low-key musicians, but Parr’s muscular, lived-in voice and immaculate finger-style playing fill the room with ease. If his name is new to you, then this well-chosen collection is a fine introduction. www.charlieparr. com

Download tracks: 1922 Blues, Cheap Wine, Dead Cat on the Line