Marinate the members of Blackie and The Rodeo Kings, Cowboy Junkies, and Skydiggers. Then sauté their folk rock flavors together in a black cauldron of spooky malevolence, and you’ll end up with a pot of beatnik hippies, who could sound anywhere from Kenny G to Shawn Mullins and still be considered cool.
Lee Harvey Osmond’s new album A Quiet Evil combines elements of folk, country, soul, blues, and indie rock to enjoy on an early Sunday morning. With the slide guitar, cello, harmonica, and Tom Wilson’s tender baritone voice, it’s a nice ensemble of silky melodies. “I’m Going To Stay That Way” is the best track on the record due to its soulful organ and smooth vocal harmonies between frontman Wilson and guest vocalist Suzie Vinnick, who sounds a lot like Emmylou Harris. “Lucifer’s Blues” starts off with a spoken word and quickly goes into a catchy Jack Johnson-like song with jangly guitars and bongos. Most of the songs have a laid-back country vibe to them, but not so soothing that it’ll put you to sleep.
A Quiet Evil doesn’t go overboard with its ensembles. Even with all the instruments featured on the album, Lee Harvey Osmond balance them throughout the whole album so it wouldn’t sound like a train wreck of jam solos all on one track. The album is consistent with its moonshine-fueled tone, dark ambiance, and quixotically keeps you on your feet with a downy, velvet sound.
In A Word: Slide
