Album Details

• Artist: Little Muddy
• Album: The Road To Bodie
• Label: littlemuddy.com
• Year of Release: 2008
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2008-05-18

28 short-guitar driven instrumental tracks that brood but provide enough light that the cumulative effect is uplifting, "The Road To Bodie" is the soundtrack to whatever is on your mind at the moment you are listening. That gives this set an approachability and easy but epic feel.

Little Muddy's simple tunes include shades of Americana, blues, and ambient, and each track give you something to chew on. What easily could have been bogged down in repetition or padding is instead a truly deep listen.

There are two versions of several songs-"It's Up Above Us Now," "I Had To Leave At 3A.M," "We Found It In 1947," "Fall Leaves With Murder"-that can stand as centerpieces for the collection. By letting the listener into the construction of certain songs, Little Muddy implies that all of these songs are in various stages of development, subject to change, whim, and a deeper understanding of the song.

The use of slide, electric and acoustic, helps "Rural Route 4," "There's Too Much Radiation Outside" and, among others, "3 Days After Annihilation" sound traditional and experimental at once. "The Road To Bodie" shows once again how the Blues are timeless, and even ambient noise builds off of its legacy.

So this is noir-ish roots music with a cinematic eye for the larger picture. Little Muddy makes short brave statements that blend visual and sonic touchstones into a dreamy, rough-edge mix.

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