The Squatters
The Squatters
House of Rock (2001)
The jolly inebriation of the atmosphere established, this recording kicks into “All Good Cafe”, a rollicking little trip that surfaces with “Paco?s Donkey”, a twisting paean to making room on your donkey. Good and gut-worn vibes come off this music, the voices enliven the instruments as the instruments jest and play off each other in a rodeo way. The songs flow into one another like whisky rubbing people’s shoulders together in a drinking fit. The age old traditional tune “9 LB. Hammer” flows into the jumping jamboree of “Sixteen Caps” and on into “Rhombus”, a giddy bit of helium after-effects. “Takin’ Candy” slips into “Empty Bottles” where a kind of quiet interchange comes about, with the visual of a rose standing out in the thoughtful lyrics. They finish with a rousing cover “Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys” and the night closes down for the should-be ubiquitous squatters. 4/5 – By Michael MacDonald
