The banter between songs was also easy-going and generally self-deprecating. “A Happy Man on a Gloomy Day” followed, with a Latin feel and some superb guitar nothing flashy, but with just a laid back cool, typical of these guys' gentle, yet compelling, style of performance. We were shaken back into dancing mode with another Torrey composition, called "Change Your Ways or Die", which had a driving beat and powerful vocal. It was followed by the title track, "You're Dreaming," whose sublime harmonies and phrasing did indeed have a dreamy, ethereal quality to it. "Clown Collector", the next song, taken from their debut album, was a fine example, with its sense of fun and smart wordplay. Neatly turned out and looking every bit your all-American country boys, Page and Jack's exquisite harmonies blended perfectly with the simplicity of the instrumental, creating a purity of sound that seemed effortless.Įvoking a bygone era, much of their material is in fact self-penned. With brothers Page Burkum and Jack Torrey providing vocals and guitar, Andy Carroll on double bass and Chris Hepola on drums, they launched into two country classics - "Tennessee Border" and "South in New Orleans" - which set the tone for a night of vintage-style country, done with a fresh and exciting twist. It’s got plenty of twang without coming off as forced country nostalgia and enough hooks and universal lyrical themes to win over pop music fans.************************************************************** A packed hall greeted The Cactus Blossoms with enthusiasm as they came onto the stage for their first London gig.
Admittedly, the album does sound a little heavy at times and could use another driving track like “Rebel” to break up the sound, but it’s still a great effort from a band not tied to current musical trends and templates. The fact that the band has toured with a pretty diverse set of bands (The War & Treaty, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, Lilly Hiatt, Junior Brown) speaks to their ability to straddle genres and draw from a wide bench of musical influences. The album closes on “Space Country,” a beautifully trippy nearly two minutes long near-instrumental that perfectly ties up the album and gives one final nod to the 1970s eclectic and wildly experimental music scene. It’s a stripped down, emotional song that manages to defy categorization, and it could just as easily be covered by anyone from Dolly Parton to Paul Simon. Just as solid, but a little slower, is the Stewart-fronted title track, which beautifully shows off her range as a singer. But there are a few surprises, like the band’s latest single, “Rebel,” a fantastic up-tempo country rock track with Mario Arnez on vocals. The moody compelling album opener “Blue As the Day,” with Steph Stewart taking over on the vocals, appropriately teases much of what’s to follow. It’s that history that Blue Cactus seems to have soaked up and reinterpreted for a 2021 audience with their latest record.
CACTUS MUSIC REVIEWS MAC
It’s hard to miss the distinct ‘70s vibe of Stranger Again, the second album from North Carolina duo Blue Cactus.ĭuring that decade, Willie, Waylon and their buddies flipped the middle finger to Nashville’s Music Row and headed to Texas Cosmic Country brought together the rednecks and hippies and Fleetwood Mac managed to win over millions with an ethereal mix of female/male vocals singing about every aspect of heartbreak.
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