Live - The Storyteller

The scruffy demeanor of singer/songwriter Todd Snider masks a wicked wit that places him squarely in the tradition of such great American humorists as Mark Twain, Will Rogers and John Prine. Snider has made live albums before, but The Storyteller stands as the best sampling of his ability to unreel a gut-busting narrative with nonchalant gusto. Long-time fans will recognize his droll disclaimer “Eighteen Minutes” as well as such pithy, biting song-sketches as “Sunshine,” “Looking for a Job” and “The Devil You Know.” But the real attraction here is Snider’s extended autographical spiels about growing up in Beaverton, Oregon and trying to break into the music business. “KK Rider Story” (concerning a misadventure involving a pool hall, a country singer and a drunken woman on a swing) and “Mushroom Story” (explaining how Todd left the ranks of high school jockdom for the stoner crowd) are especially hilarious. Great American Taxi provides sturdy folk/rock backup on the tunes, lending them a feel somewhere between the Band and John Mellencamp.