TITLE: Live At The Cafe

ARTIST: True North

STARS: 3 Out Of 5 Stars

SOUNDS LIKE: Seventies style country rock reminiscent of Pure Prairie League and The Amazing Rhythm Aces.

It’s a hoot listening to True North. Their music is fun, clever and feel good nostalgic in a 1970s sort of way. It’s the kind of stuff you listen to in a 1969 Camaro on a hot summer night cruising the main drag.

“Live at the Cafe” captures one of the group’s live performances at St. Joseph’s famed Acoustic Cafe. It’s a collection of the group’s original tunes complete with stage banter and audience participation.

Unlike most live recordings which can often sound too hectic and cluttered, the live quality here adds a certain warm familiarity to the CD.

Anyone who has ever been inside the Acoustic Cafe on open mic night knows that it has this sort of affable ambience. And it shines through on this recording.

True North is comprised of five talented musicians: Gary McKnight on vocals and guitars, Garrett Rake on keyboards, vocals accordion and harmonica; Brian Soden on guitar, vocals and mandolin; Rick McKnight on bass; Keith Broxterman on drums and Will Gladhart on fiddle. And while these cats can jam, it’s the True North lyrics that capture my attention.

There the obligatory ballads like the touching “Old Martin and Mandolin” and the somewhat anthemic “Make it Mean Something.” And they work. But it’s the wry, tongue in cheek stuff like “Dashboard Believer” and “DUI Over You” that make this CD fun.

Lyrics like “ I got a D-U-I over Y-O-U, blood shot eyes and mug shot too” and I’m a wanted man but not by you,” will definitely give you a chuckle.

I usually review jazz but like all kinds of good music. True North is good, fun music.