The name of it is Joel Mabus--NO WORRIES NOW....

Any of you who have heard Joel over the years know unequivocally what a purely note-perfect and thoroughly accomplished guitarist the man is. The same goes for his banjo; just superb musicality, and harmonic/chordal taste combined with melodic perfection. These are mostly Joel's own compositions here with some new and some trad melodies utilized beautifully. His writing, once again, combines deep intelligent insights with proper humor that makes   the term comic relief profound.

For me, the high light of this album is a song Joel wrote called, simply, "Charlie Birger" -- which is absolutely the best tribute, and also an expose, to this southern Illinois murdered and gang leader that has ever been composed. I recoded the 1928 song Vernon Dalhart recorded. That song was written by either Carson Robison or
Blind Andrew Jenkins. (A 78-revolutions-per-minute record) But this eight minute gem hits the nail on the head. You get to know the man that Charlie Birger was from hearing this one. You are lucky if a 400 page biography does that for someone, but Mr. Mabus has done it this guy who fought it out with the Shelton Brothers Gang and the Ku Klux Klan all at the same time during the sad prohibition era. Capone was more famous because he had the big city papers to build him up. Charlie Birger died in 1928---and it has taken until now for a good song to be written about him.

And all the songs here are simply wonderful. I won't say any more because I've gone on too long already. Listen yourself, and you'll know what I'm going on about!

You can get it from:

Fossil Records
PO Box 306
Portage, Michigan 49081
www.joelmabus.com

This CD shows how modern singer/songwriting and the vividness of trad story-song clarity and imagery can, dynamically, work together
beautifully.

Art Thieme