Bob Delevante - Columbus and the Colossal Mistake

It's hard to boil down something this good into a few words. Of course, Delevante is a photographer as well as a poet, so he can show the picture as well as the thousand words. He's an artist, and this is the work of an artist. Spun of well-chosen words and graced by a few glorious black-and-white shots, this disc is a feast for several senses, sight and mind and imagination.

Yet again I find myself discovering an artist who is no newcomer to roots/Americana. Bob Delevante has several discs under his belt, respected and incredible works of art. He's won awards such as the 1996 CMT Rising Star Video Star of the Year, and was nominated fir the Nashville Music Awards Outstanding Pop Album of the Year. His duo work in The Delevantes was nominated as Vocal Duo of the Year in 1996. This is his fourth album. It's a doozy.

With a pleasant tenor voice that's neither great nor terrible, Delevante is accessible. Friendly, even. His depth of poetry sneaks up at you through comfortable, country-pop melodies that are easy to hum, quick to learn, and, oh, wait - they make you stop and think a little. It's a potent mix that makes for a great listen.

There's some great playing on this disc, too. It's no secret I'm a sucker for good pedal steel playing, and there's no lack of that here, with Fats Kaplin laying down some awesome licks in several tracks. There's also Buddy Miller joining in on lead guitar for a track, and Emmylou Harris's distinctive vocals harmonizing along. Strong lyrics, strong music, and strong playing all make for one superior piece of artwork. But don't think it's art you won't like or understand. Get involved. You'll find that art rocks.