CD Review

Fred Eaglesmith
Ralph's Last Show
(Signature Sounds)

This double CD live recording is simply great. Eaglesmith can turn a line, tell a story, and perform with guts and groove. Unfortunately, never has more raw songwriting talent and energy been squandered on cars, trains, dogs, cars, bars, guns, cars and cars and a dash of pseudo-redneck misogyny. Still, there are few story songs as good as "Lucille," in which after being taken as a lover by a wild 40 year old woman, the teenaged Romeo grows up, gets married, has his old sports car fixed up, and drives off to the old age home to take the spunky old lady out for a spin for old times' sake.