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Tunesmith Retrofit | 
 enlarge | Artist: Kelly Joe Phelps
Label: Rounder / Umgd
Category: Music
List Price: $17.98
Buy New: $10.40
You Save: $7.58 (42%)
New (34) Used (11) from $7.73
Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 36105
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 613249
UPC: 011661324923
EAN: 0011661324923
ASIN: B000G5SIB2
Release Date: August 1, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Crow's Nest | | • | The Anvil | | • | Spanish Hands | | • | Plumb Line | | • | Scapegoat | | • | Big Shaky | | • | Tight to the Jar | | • | MacDougal | | • | Loud as Ears | | • | Red Light Nickel | | • | Handful of Arrows | | • | Tunesmith Retrofit |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Like the late Chris Whitley (to whom the banjo-driven "Handful of Arrows" is dedicated), Kelly Joe Phelps initially built a following through the sharpness of his chops, but would rather be known for the strength of his songs. Thus this stripped-down exercise in musical intimacy draws attention to lyrics set to homespun melodies, with an occasional fiddle, pedal steel, melodica, or keyboard augmenting Phelps's acoustic accompaniment. Though there's a stately grace to country-tinged tunes such as "The Anvil" and "Tight to the Jar," some of his wordcraft is so oblique and self-consciously poetic that it resists translation. From the opening of "Loud as Ears": "Old, dark ruby coats his throat / gloves a feathered mind / sharpens up her fountain pen." Huh? Yet the music is always eloquent, and there's a tenderness to Phelps's Dylanesque phrasing. With three instrumentals among the dozen tracks, he pays tribute to Dave Van Ronk on "MacDougal," with the sort of ragtime picking that made its way from the Mississippi Delta to the Greenwich Village folk scene. --Don McLeese
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| Customer Reviews:
 Kelly's in Town Tonight April 13, 2008
Gismo Egberti (Lhasa, Tibet)
Duckman's problems with Kelly's '06 CD just seem to be the duck/rabbit thing. It is a matter of perspective. I have always thought of him as much as a high quality esoteric poet as a guitar master. Kelly is at the Aquarium in Fargo tonight, and I ought to get going. Hope the smoke doesn't kill us.
A masterpiece November 6, 2007
Thumbnail (Edinburgh UK)
Alluring will-o-the-wisp melodies with allusive lyrics. Delightful expressive playing with nary a note wasted. Endlessly fascinating. Get it on vinyl for the full magical effect.
more great stuff by mr phelps. April 6, 2007
fluffy, the human being. (forest lake, mn)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Another great release from kelly joe phelps. I count seven of his cds hangin' around my house now, and I love `em all like adopted children. What's wrong with this world? Why isn't this man more famous? I want answers!
This album is a folk masterpiece. Song poems sung beautifully. And mr phelps is about as fluid and mesmerizing a guitar picker as you'll hear. His wonderful voice and guitarwork dominate this album. Stark and perfect. The opening track, "crow's nest," has some fine violin accompaniment, "scapegoat" is an amazing piece of banjo wizardry, and "handful of arrows" is a great ballad performed with banjo. A little piano, a little organ, some pedal steel, other than that it's pretty much acoustic guitar pickin' and singing. And stuff of this quality is doggone rare. Someday, hopefully, mr phelps' discography will be as large as, say, john coltrane's, or duke ellington's. I'm greedy. I want lots and lots of this kinda work. Now buy the thing already. You should.
Hooked on a feeling January 11, 2007
pebblepuppy (Missouri)
I'm hooked on this CD. Everytime I get in the car it goes with me. The lyrics are a little hard to follow sometimes, but the melody and his voice are pure magic. I love his style of guitar playing. I highly recommend this CD. Five stars aren't enough.
Songs that last forever, a must have CD December 15, 2006
Capt. Jas Falconer (USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is an amazing CD full of songs that will bring you on a ride, and hold you there. His voice weaves with his playing to combine into perfect solid songs. Kelly's banjo playing does not fall short of his guitar virtuoso. One of his best so far. Go to his website and go see him live you will not be disappointed! Highlights are - Crows Nest - Big Shaky - Handful of Arrows - Plumb Line -
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