Robert Earl Keen Gringo Honeymoon CD

Personnel: Robert Earl Keen (vocals); Gurf Morlix (guitar, background vocals); Rich Brotherton, George Marinelli (guitar); Tommy Spurlock (steel guitar); Jonathan Yudkin (violin); Bryan Duckworth (fiddle, background vocals); Brad Jones (piano, organ, percussion, background vocals); Dave Heath (bass, background vocals); Garry Tallent (bass); Mark Thomas Patterson (drums, background vocals); Dave Durocher (drums); Sam Bacco (percussion); Gillian Welch, Dennis Locorriere, Rebecca Stout, Jeff Coppage, Lorne Raul (background vocals).
Recorded at Alex The Great, Nashville, Tennessee in April 1994.
Personnel: Robert Earl Keen, Jr. (vocals); Rich Brotherton (guitar, background vocals); Gurf Morlix (electric guitar, bottleneck guitar, background vocals); George Marinelli (electric guitar); Tommy Spurlock (steel guitar); Jonathan Yudkin (violin); Bryan Duckworth (fiddle, background vocals); Brad Jones (piano, organ, percussion, background vocals); David Heath (upright bass, background vocals); Dave Durocher, Mark Patterson (drums); Sam Bacco (percussion); Dennis Locorriere, Gillian Welch, Mark Patterson , Rebecca Stout, Jeff Coppage (background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Roger Moutenot.
Photographer: Peter Figen.
Framed by smooth production and tasteful instrumentation, Robert Earl Keen, Jr. hands over ten more tunes on this 1994 release. Gringo Honeymoon is more lively and immediately likeable than previous efforts and is comprised of all Keen originals, save Steve Earle's "Tom Ames' Prayer." Keen transports the listener to Texas with his stories and the overall tone of the record. But it's not big-hair Dallas that calls, it are the back roads and small towns that form the landscape. From the toe-tapping shuffle of "Think It Over One Time" to the sweeping grandeur of "Lonely Feeling" to the eye-winking swing of "Barbeque," Keen paints the scenes one by one. With the sly humor of "Merry Christmas From the Family," he sketches, in great detail, a dysfunctional family that many may recognize. (Not unsurprisingly, Jill Sobule covered this spirited number for a holiday sampler disc.) Gillian Welch adds her lovely voice to "Lynnville Train" and "The Raven and the Coyote." Both are tales of aching hearts that do well with her gentle harmonies. Overall, Gringo Honeymoon is pretty closely in step with Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith. If you like either of them, give this one a try. ~ Kelly McCartneyRolling Stone (12/29/94-1/12/95, p.181) - "...From eloquent detail Texan Robert Earl Keen crafts his story songs of pain and pleasure....His knowing weary delivery exactly suits his frayed-denim, worn-leather poetry."
Spin (2/95, p.79) - Highly Recommended - "...Like Jimmie Dale Gilmore minus the metaphysics, Keen's economic twang cuts to the quick of loss, loneliness, and barbecue sauce....Pleading emerges as pure pleasure...[and] last-ditch optimism can be heard all over the album..."
Musician (11/94, p.88) - "...the album is one honeymoon you'll want to tag along on..."