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Christopher Rees - Cautionary Tales

They'll be humming death ballads in the valleys before you know it..

Wales wouldn't be the first place you would look for a American sounding, banjo-playing, story-telling troubadour whose brand of Americana sits somewhere between the backwoods debauchery of Willard Grant Conspiracy and the vocal confidences and melodic understanding of Ryan Adams. You haven't looked hard enough then have you? On Cautionary Tales, his third album, Rees has delivered a mighty fine record. There is a bit of everything here for the discerning roots fan - the stark, brutal banjo led balladry of "Bucket Full Of Holes"; the catchy, Whiskeytown-esque "Bottom Dollar"(featuring Victoria Williams); the dark hillbilly grind of "Cautionary Tale; and the storytelling prowess of vintage Violent Femmes on "Mary Lee." Be aware that Rees does have a voice that isn't afraid to reach out for a few notes here and there. Its an unusual characteristic in this genre but here it's a vocal style that leaves its mark on all of these songs sometimes as a menacing howl others a soulful lingering resonance. Overall Cautionary Tales is a excellent offering from a musician who I am sure will be breaking through in a major way sometime soon. I wouldn't be surprised to see him turning up on a Twisted Folk tour given that there is something here that could well appeal to those cool, young crowds.

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