Typically eclectic and irreverant LP from Friedman + friends
hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 07/03/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Friedman's acclaim as a mystery writer has mostly obscured his earlier work as a most irreverent country-rock singer-songwriter. This reissue should help clear the cobwebs."Lasso From El Paso" is the most eclectic of a mid-70s LP trio. Friedman champions the faded and forgotten with effective portraits in "Sold American" (recorded live on Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue) and "The Ballad of Ira Hayes." In contrast, he imbues "Ahab the Arab" with bombast above and beyond the song's lyrical content, and laughs his way through the ode to snot, "Ol' Ben Lucas." Also included is the Bob Dylan outtake, "Catfish" and appearances by Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Roger McGuinn and Ringo Starr as Jesus."
Wonderful Kinky at his best
Bruce Parkes | San Antonio TX | 04/17/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Kinky has taken some old material and done it differently. "Ol'Ben Lucas" with the kids is a hoot! He also demonstrates that he can really sing with "Dear Abbie." But the kicker to the whole CD is "The Ballad of Ira Hayes", I have never heard it done better. All in all it is a fun, Kinky CD."