Mando Saenz
Watertown
Carnival Records
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also available on amazon
This disc is filled with some of the most thoughtful vignettes of laid back roots music to be heard in a long time. This is a disc of eleven songs, all written by Saenz, where each is a complete and heartfelt story related through the eyes of an involved observer who is feeling the emotions. This is a disc with a very laid back feel, however with a very compelling drive to it. The songs are evoking a nostalgia that is being revealed as it is lived. There is an early Lyle Lovett or maybe Joe Ely feel to it. The band playing with him is just stunning in the way they treat the music to let the words drive the songs and yet they are integral in their fills. Bobby Flores’ fiddle playing is
especially tasteful, as is the sensitive and masterful work done by Joel Guzman on accordion. Those two, combined with Saenz’s songs, his acoustic guitar and harmonica playing and his arrangements, all held together by John Egan’s production make for a winning combination. This is one of those rare discs that you don’t want to end, and if you have loaded the disc player you are more than likely going to keep hitting the replay button.