If you’re a fan of the Telecaster, you need no introduction to six stringer Bill Kirchen, who’s one of the definitive masters, best known for his tenure with Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen. This two disc set features his three releases on Proper Records from 2006’s Hammer of the Honky-Tonk Gods, including 2010’s Word To The Wise and finishing up with Seeds and Stems from 2013.
The albums are filled with swinging rockified country, and includes guests Nick Lowe, steel guitarist Cindy Cashdollar, vocalist Maria Muldaur, Dan Hicks, and boss Commander Cody. Kirchen revisits his patented licks on a re-take of “Hot Rod Lincoln” as well as western swingers like “Too Much Fun” and Bob Dylan’s “Tit Takes A Lot To Laugh…”. At times, Kirchen himself sounds like a dead ringer for Mark Knopfler in both voice and guitar as onsthe Dire Straity “Rocks Into Sand”. Kirchen is at his juke-joint best on “Heart of Gold, “Get A Little Gone” and “Hammer of the Honky Tonk Gods” , but he also shows his versatility on the acoustic “One More Day” and the lithe, slow and simmering read of “Devil with a Blue Dress On”.
Muldaur keeps you away from her leg on “Aint Got No Time For The Blues,” Low and Paul Carrack give a homespun take of “Shelly’s Winter Song”, and Hicks is homespun on the avuncular “Word To The Wise” and Asleep at the Wheel singer Chris O’Connell puts a tear in your beer with Kirchen on “Husbands and Wives”. If you’re not listening to this stuff in your truck, you’re not taking it in right. This is guitar playing at its dusty jeaned best.