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"Pow'r Pickin'  review on  "Walden Dahl"

Reprinted From December 1998 Issue of "Pow'r Pickin'"

"Walden Dahl"

Pwr'n Pickin' is the official magazine of the Colorado Bluegrass Music Society.

OK, Walden Dahl.  The enigma wrapped in a riddle. There's a black and White photo of a dusty early '60s Corvette with a California license plate on a cover, a picture of three unnamed players on the back, and a screened back grainy photo of Walden Dahl presumably, from the inside of a jail cell on the inside. No idea who this fellow is, but he sure is a terrific singer (lead, tenor and baritone) and has surrounded himself with some fine, albeit low keyed, players to deliver an eclectic collection of country, bluegrass and nicely crafted originals.

Eclectic is the word. Dahl's song selection ranges from traditional to '50s oldies to bluegrass to country. Although the recording suffers occasionally from an uneven mix, the arrangements are often striking. He turns "Shady Grove" into a slow, minor ballad, gives Marty Robbins "Devil Women" a neat bluegrass treatment and puts a new country-spin on the classic Everly Bros. hit "Let It Be Me". "Colleen Malone", "My Rose of Old Kentucky", "Big Spike Hammer" and others receive their due.

Dahl's four originals are well written. "City Lights" and "Explanation of the News" are the standouts. The players are not out to set world speed records, but rather to tastefully compliment the arrangements.

All in all this is a pleasant, thoughtfully done recording. And in the end not having bios and long commentary on the music is a bonus, allowing the listener to focus on the music, not the personality. 

-by Patrick Cullie

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