Bob Meyer - All This is That (Malicious Damage)
Review by Emily Clarke

Local boy Bob Meyer makes a great introduction into our rank of fine CD's this month. Striking just the right balance between lo-fi stars Iron & Wine and true Mississippi blues, Meyer’s guitar seeps around you. Don't be fooled by his cartoon-country voice on the opener, River. Just the right amount of twang brings the sound together, as his voice loafs around under the melodies. Meyer has swing, strangely enough in music that at first glance appears sedate; there is space in his songs. In particular the track I Want More, plays with huge, hanging gaps around the music. Its almost excruciating, but you do find yourself swaying in the silence.

Bob’s songs are modern folklore, backed up by guitar pickings of a different age. It is unpretentious, and allows for your mind to move through the songs. Although the man is a fan of those quieter Zeppelin "I'm Jimmy Page" moments, this can't really be a bad thing. His music rises and dives with assurance. Shoemaker Levy No 9 is deliciously weird, and again, Bob manages to create bonafide country blues out of his obviously fresh brain.

Rolling, the last two tracks are called, and here we hear the Bob playing in his natural habitat. Undisturbed by lyrics or overdubs, this is a humble way to end your album, but it shows how unassuming Bob is. Cue love-r-ly acoustic bluegrass that settles down into folksy tinkering.

The only criticism you might have of this album is it leaves you swaying in the darkness too much, but after a couple of listens Bob appears to you more comfortable; the music isn’t strained – it's unconcerned with following in the footsteps of the over-produced, studio heavy blues that we’ve all heard too much of. To top it all off, I'm willing to bet he could spin you a ripping story in the pub. No more mushrooms for that man.

Download a free track and then buy the CD from Malicious Damage:www.maliciousdamage.biz