They Don't Write Songs About Trains Anymore by Artese N Toad

The fall of 2001 brought a promotional tour for their new Astonia Records release "They Don't Write Songs About Trains Anymore", a joint project between Artese 'N Toad and M.T.H Electric Trains.

The project was born from a song written a couple years ago called "Daddy's Old Train Box". When M.T.H. Electric Trains President heard the song, he had to have it for his train sets. He also suggested that a whole CD of new train songs be written. It was an easy task for Tom and Perry who wrote the project in just a few weeks. "Legend, folklore and railroad history make for some great subject matter". The sound and feel of the new CD is straight Americana. Just the right setting for the songs" says Artese. It's all acoustic guitars, fiddle, mandolin, piano and great percussion. Tom and Perry are very proud of the new CD and mostly thank their producer Daoud Shaw ( Van Morrison, Etta James, Jerry Garcia Band) for making a great sounding product.

Artese N Toad are in the final stages of recording a second all train themed CD, which features more historical train stories and is even more acoustic than the first. The new CD is scheduled for a spring 2005 release.

OLE COUNTRY HOME REVIEWS THEY DON'T WRITE SONGS ABOUT TRAINS ANYMORE

by Randy Bennett, Ole Country Home

A while back, J.C. Watts made the now oft quoted observation that, "Character is doing what is right even when no one is looking." Musically, there needs to be a phrase for "playing, singing, and writing traditional country music even when no one is paying. " In the late fifties and early sixties, the phrase would have been folk music. Recently, the buzzword is Americana Music. Labels notwithstanding, the latest offering form Artese n' Toad, They Don't Write Songs About Trains Anymore, is a ten track tribute to what used to be.

Nashville has not made it easy to be a traditional country artist recently. With the exception of Brad Paisley, who in addition to extraordinary talent needed the backing of the biggest Music Row heavyweigts to crack the doors on Music Row, anyone playing traditional country music is on the outside looking in. They Don't Write Songs About Trains Anymore is a traditional country/Americana album, based around the previously released single, Daddy's Old Train Box. Perry Artese and Tom "Toad" Dimeo have crafted an album embracing the history, legend, and stories of America and it's connection to trains.

With the backing of Producer Daoud Shaw and a group of musicians that channeled Owen Bradley, Fred Foster and Sun Studios through their instruments, Artese n' Toad have a project on their hands that they can, to say the least, be proud of.

In addition to a respectful and straightforward cover of City Of New Orleans, the heavyweight champion of train songs, Artese n' Toad have penned nine contenders of their own. They deliver a formidable one-two punch with the previously released Daddy's Old Train Box, and Tonight I'm Gonna Get My Christmas Train. Both songs are a nod to the tradition of model trains and Christmas, as well as fathers, sons, and the rebirth and passing of tradition from generation to generation. Tie That Whistle Down is the strongest track here both lyrically and musically. Producer Daoud Shaw unleashes the boys in the band on this one, and the result, musically, is as close to the old Sun Country Sound as anyone has been in a long time. Lyrically, it is as strong as any story song that I have heard since the mid seventies masterpieces of legends like Tom T. Hall, Lew Dewitt, and Don Reid. Just as strong musically is the title track.

The key to this album is the integrity with which each track has been crafted. The same care and consideration is displayed on all ten tracks, by everyone involved in the project. That is also something that has not been standard since the mid seventies. None other than Grand Ole Opry "Whisperin" Bill Anderson has had positive reactions to this album, and that is a true Music City Heavyweight.

Right now, there is a battle raging in country music. The battle is between the listeners, country radio, and Music Row. I guess it is really just a flare up of a battle that has been going on forever. The difference now is that the internet has made it harder to keep grass roots albums down and out. To say country music right now is pop influenced, would be the understatement of the last ten years. Somehow, these pop influenced, office created acts continue to be showered with awards and contracts, while the listeners make traditional albums like O Brother Where Art Thou number one in the country, without any support from country radio.

This is good news for acts like Artese n' Toad. No, they will not have the number one album in the country, but more people will hear them than would have heard them ten years ago, and that is good for everyone. I wrote that this is a battle, and this project carries the traditional/Ameicana banner well. I will be listening as Artese n' Toad come out swinging, cheering them on all the way down the track.

Average Customer Review: 5