To say I like Brian J. Cline’s music (www.brianjaycline.com) is like saying I like three meals a day. It’s obvious. After all, I’ve been listening to him perform live for the past three years at Luna Star and Your Big Picture Cafe, and his performances always please. Recently, he gave me a copy of his CD titled THE BIG ISSUE (2002) which I have been listening to repeatedly during the past week. For those of you who don’t know Brian, think of Elvis Costello as the Fifth Beatle in their pre-psychedelic era. Right from track one – MERRY GO ROUND – you can hear Costello-like, crisp, clean lyrics and solid arrangements without the excessive mixing or the over-use of effects so characteristic of many releases today. For me this is particularly pleasing since I am a graduate of the Robert Johnson School of Recording, and I truly appreciate when the CD is a near match for the live, acoustic performance. As for the Beatle comparison, I could actually hear the spirit of George Harrison in track nine – HAPPY DAYS – a track I would not have been surprised to find on any Beatle album. So if you’d enjoy a CD that can take you through your day – the ups, the downs, the ins and outs – Brian J. Cline’s THE BIG ISSUE is the big fix. You can catch Brian live at Your Big Picture Cafe (Davie), Luna Star Cafe (North Miami), and Kings Head Pub (Sunrise). His latest release is NASHVILLE TRACKS (2009, Exodus Records).
Dr. Bob