Craig Rayburn's latest release, Coyote is a retrospective slice of folk-influenced country music. Working with multi-award winning singer songwriter Keith Greeninger, the album combines country, folk, and rock elements to produce songs that embody anecdotal depictions of everyday life.
Coyote starts off with “Time Waits,” a quintessential country tune similar to those heard in small town bars where whiskey is the drink of choice. The nostalgic presence spills over into “Gypsy” with Rayburn's tender and simple lyrics complementing the slow candor of the song. The album shines when it hits “American Dream,” with its rolling guitars and flute accents that sound like the song could have been pulled from Neil Diamond's song book.
Rayburn utilizes a deep appreciation of local color as seen on a handful of bittersweet ballads which are the album’s real substance. Tracks such as “Cold in the Canyon” and “Cowboy” showcase the singers' soulful vocal ability without straying from the album’s subject matter. The album's title track “Coyote” is also a poignant ballad about love and loss, followed suit by the equally heart wrenching “Lady in Love.”
The album also hits a few uplifting notes with tracks like the humorous “Tres Pinos” and the sweeping “Mexican Moonlight” which is accompanied by mariachi accordions and strong acoustic guitar backing.
With Coyote, Craig Rayburnhas createda deep and comprehensive homage to classic country music. Setting out to create an album that is reflective of American folk and rock, the touching nostalgia will resonate with country music fans who truly admire the roots of where the genre has stemmed from.
Rukshan Thenuwara – MuzikReviews.com Contributor
July 10, 2009
