Kevin Bowe and the Okemah Prophets
Love Songs and Murder Ballads
Self Released

by Al Kunz

Kevin Bowe is busy. But that isn't enough for his fans. They keep insisting they need more. Since the late '99 release of Restoration, Kevin Bowe and the Okemah Prophets haven't been taking it easy. Bowe is best known as a songwriter for teenage blues sensations Jonny Lang and Shannon Curfman. He has continued writing material to be recorded by other artists, placing "Testify" on a recent release by English blues pioneer John Mayall and co-writing "Squeaky Wheel" for Duane Jarvis's Certified Miracle disc. Multi-instrumentalist Andy Dee produced and played on the latest release by the Hillbilly Voodoo Dolls and co-produced Knock Yourself Out! The Nashville Sessions for The Vees ('60s R&R teen idol Bobby Vee's sons). All band members have contributed to other musical projects while playing a steady stream of gigs at festivals and clubs in the Upper Midwest.

But fans have been asking for more of the Okemah Prophets' roots-rock for their CD players. Bowe and the Prophets have responded with this self-released disc of "rarities, demos, out-takes, and live stuff." While not as polished as a studio recorded disc that is intended for widespread distribution, this collection "holds up" better than you might expect. As I've indicated in past reviews, what I look for is good material, performed with feeling. And you'll find that here.

The inside cover for Love Songs and Murder Ballads has the subtitle "demos, live stuff, odds & ends, & goofy sh*t." Let's get the last of these out of the way first. The title alone, "Gramma Set Your Big Ass Down," might be enough to call this song goofy. Then add Andy Dee playing kazoo to lyrics like "I've seen every butt in town / yours is still the best / Grandpa thinks he knows it all / likes to throw his weight around / but we all know you run the show / so set your big ass down," and you're solidly in the goofy category. Andy and Kevin co-wrote this tune and were obviously in the mood to have a little fun the day it was recorded at Natchez Cave, Andy's home studio.

Some might put the final track, "Get Rhythm," in the goofy category too. Listed as an eight-and-a-half minute cover of the Johnny Cash hit, but in reality a live jam with a medley of songs that exceed the listed running time by more than ten minutes. The promised Cash track is there, along with Lou Reeds "Walk on the Wild Side," its lyrics re-worked to star Andy Dee. And that's just the first eight minutes. The bonus portion has snakes and it's got eggs and it even has a few spiders. You'll hear the Okemah Prophet's fiddler, Marv Gohman, play swamp fiddle and guest guitarist Steve Morgan "make Tony Joe White sound like Pat Boone." Maybe this should be classified as "Odds and Ends" instead of goofy. You decide.

The ten remaining tracks are "live stuff" or studio recordings, the "demos" category. Bowe keeps a low public profile in the Minneapolis music scene, playing most of his area gigs at The Bean and Wine Café in the far-western suburbs, which is where nearly all the live tracks were recorded. Live stuff includes fellow Minnesota native Bob Dylan's "From a Buick 6" and "Blackie Ford's Revenge," the title track of the only release from Bowe's previous band, the Revelators. Also getting the live treatment are "Stranger to the Lord" and "Land of Cain," two Bowe originals with biblical overtones, and "Thankless Work," a twangy, alt-country tale of one-sided love.

Well I'm countin' the days till I get paid
I've been so lonely I can hardly wait
When you pass me over it hurts so bad
This is the worse job I've ever had
Some day baby I hope you'll see
How hard I worked to make you fall for me
That's the only thing that keeps me hangin' on now

Lovin that girl is thankless work
The hours are bad and the money is worse
She doesn't want me and that's what hurts
Lovin' that girl is thankless work

Bowe co-produced and helped write more than half the songs on Shannon Curfman's '99 debut release, Loud Guitars and Big Suspicions. The Prophets show their bluesy side with "No Riders," co-written by Bowe and Curfman for Loud Guitars. "Coulda Shoulda Woulda" was written as a team effort between Bowe, Peter Case, and frequent Bowe collaborator Duane Jarvis. According to Bowe, they wrote the song the same day as a joint "in-the-round show at [the 1999] 'Tin Pan South' convention in Nashville." Case took the song home, cleaned up some of Bowe's "more vulgar lyrics," and recorded it for his Flying Saucer Blues disc released the following year. It's a song of regrets, but you wouldn't know it from the upbeat accompaniment with shadings of several musical genres, what Jarvis calls "rock'n'roll country soul."

Coulda, shoulda, woulda, but I never did
I take it all back and I keep it all here
I coulda, shoulda, woulda, and I wish I had
My life was good but it's all gone bad

Coulda, shoulda, woulda stayed in school
James Brown was right and I was a fool
I wish I woulda got me a G.E.D.
You want fries with that B.L.T?

Bowe and Dee wrote "Permanently Temporary" with Robby Vee, lead singer for the Vees. A love song about a woman with fear of commitment, you know how women can be that way. According to Dee, this is one of the songs tentatively slated for a solo project Robby Vee is working on with rock producer Greg Ladanyi (Warren Zevon, the Tubes, Don Henley).

Bowe and former Green on Red guitarist Chuck Prophet wrote the edgy "Barbed Wire and Dogs," while Bowe collaborated with Brett and Brad Warren on "Liquid Confidence." On this tune, the pop-country Warren Brothers show a darker lyrical bent than you would expect based on their radio hits. The lyrics, the vocals, a killin', almost everything about this tune seem like something Chris Knight could have written, including the strong hook.

He sang "Amazing Grace" on Sunday and could not find it for himself
And as God was his witness, man, he needed somethin' else
The boys on the corner said we got something to drown your innocence
You're a man in need of liquid confidence

The Conclusion: If you have bought Restoration and are already a fan of Kevin Bowe and the Okemah Prophets, the decision is easy. For just $10 you can get an hour-long disc of new songs. Buy it. Other interested parties have to make a decision. The easy choice would be to get both. If you want to pick one, choose Restoration if rougher production and some live or goofy cuts will turn you off. If you enjoy a little of the offbeat, then Love Songs and Murder Ballads is the way to go.

*Love Songs and Murder Ballads is only available at www.kevinbowe.com while Restoration is available from the normal Internet outlets or the web site. The Prophet's are currently offering an autographed poster as a bonus for purchasers of Restoration through their web site.



Contact Al Kunz at kunz-at-rockzilla.net

 
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