Todd Snider
The Devil You Know
NewDoor Music
visit Todd's website
and on myspace
also available on amazon
This is the eighth album from this outspoken troubadour who is considered one of the finest songwriters by people such as Kris Kristofferson and Billy Joe Shaver, which is pretty high praise for this visionary who uses humor to drive home his point. He wrote, or co-wrote, all of the songs on this disc and it is maybe his slightly off kilter, depending on where you stand, point of view that drives the disc. Many friends such as the eclectic and stunning guitarist Will Kimbrough and Lloyd Green accompany him here on steel guitar. They all leave him plenty of room so that his satire-laden lyrics are clearly audible; because that is the reason we are listening. He keeps it
relatively subtle with his anti war stance and his attention to detail gives the songs their punch, including on “You Got Away With It,” which is the tale of two fraternity brothers and one sounds suspiciously like the man who is ‘leading’ us in this war. This disc is done partially with the electric band and partially acoustically, which allows for some good changes of pace and mood. Here is another gem from the pen of Todd Snider.