Farmer Not So John

This self titled debut album bodes a most promising future for this group. It is country flavored and based, with rock roots and rhythms. There is a strong feeling of southern rock, that has been influenced by northern city sensibilities, in our shrinking world. Even if there is no specific name for this, it is still a disc that will have a wide appeal for it's lyric content, melodies, and solid sound. They have a gem, with great feel for the songs they pen, in Richard McLaurin. He handles the mandolin, lap steel, and dobro chores, along with a few other instruments. The songs have good lyric content that reminds me a bit of Bruce Cockburn. A real keeper is the opening cut "Fire In the Valley," penned by Mack Linebaugh, who wrote, or shared writing of 9 of the 11 tunes with Brian Ray and the rest of the band. This is a most solid effort that goes beyond the boundaries of a debut album. It has hat quality that holds promises of a long and distinctive constantly improving group.