Bob Wire "American Piehole" (Independent 2006)

Hokey country bluesman is actually better than he pretends to be

‘Bob Wire’ , aka Ednor Therriault, hails from Missoula Montana and, between raising a couple of kids and doing freelance graphic design he occasionally tours the local bar circuit with his band, The Magnificent Bastards. With a cheesy title like “American Piehole”, the impression is that of a middle aged man’s side-project, a chance for some free beers and dragging out the old rock and roll fantasy for a couple more years. He says ‘he writes songs for adults who have a sense of humour and aren’t afraid to think for themselves’ although, on the evidence here, his talents exceed that naff bravado and the jokey hokum may just be something to hide behind if the critics turn nasty. Despite the corny lyrics and self-effacing redneck humour, Wire (they call him ‘The Burlap Fog’) has a nice line in retro-country vocals and his band, although they may have their best years behind them, sound tight and professional--certainly more punch than paunch. The real surprise here is that the songs themselves are actually far more sophisticated and interesting than the tongue-in-cheek presentation suggests. The humour of lyrics like ‘White Trash Paradise’ has all been done before (and Robbie Fulks he ain’t) but when Wire takes the mask off and plays it straight as on ‘Saigon’, ‘Rio de Muerte’ and ‘Tucson’ he transcends his own goofy pastiche and actually sings and plays like a seasoned pro. Take away the hackneyed jokes and repackage the cd with a sepia picture of a something like a saguaro cactus or some scuffed-up cowboy boots (come on, you're a graphic designer!) and this could almost pass as a legitimate piece of contemporary Americana. Don’t be put off by the jokes. In an unusual inversion of traditional marketing methods, Bob Wire is actually better than the cartoonish pastiche he pretends to be. Usually, it’s the other way around.

Date review added:  Monday, June 12, 2006
Reviewer:  Robin Cracknell
Reviewers Rating:
Related web link:  artist's website