RIDE THE RESTLESS WIND

Bob’s latest CD was produced by Jim Monahan, down in Santa Barbara. Jim has worked with a slew of prominent musicians, including Herb Pedersen and Chris Hillman. He plays anything with strings on it — and he plays left handed. But the strange part is, he doesn’t re-string the guitar (or the mandolin, or the dobro, or the mandola, or whatever other stringed instrument it might be). He just flips it over his left knee and plays it upside down. Which is not all that unusual, actually, but the really weird part is, he has these cutaway guitars, and the cutaway is on the wrong side of the instrument. That’s how it looks when you see them hanging on the wall. Like there’s something wrong with them. But there isn’t. It’s all in how you look at it.

Jim not only plays all these instruments, he plays them impeccably. With taste and precision and feeling and a sense of humor. All in all, you can’t find a better guitar player on the planet. And he is playing it all thru this album. That alone would make it worth having.

But that’s just the beginning. Every musician on here is a stunning soloist. For starters, you got Gabe Witcher on the fiddle. This guy has played with Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Randy Newman, Lyle Lovett, Emmylou Harris, Loggins and Messina — you get the idea. He is the King of Sweet. And Bob’s got some really sweet songs on here for Gabe to lay into. Then you got Tom Ball on harmonica and guitar. Tom plays worldwide in a famous blues duo with Kenny Sultan. He can really spice up a song with his unique style, and Bob loves spicy stuff. Especially, carnitas. But we digress…

Then you got Ken Stange on the keyboard. Ken plays all over the place, including Dennis Quaid’s rock group! And on drums and percussion, you got Bob Nichols. Bob plays everything you can think of on here, including a cardboard box. Including spoons. On “Painted Arrow,” he tied the Indian bells on his ankles and danced around the studio. Hell, on “Tough Guys,” he played his knees!

And that’s just the musicians. Wait til you hear the songs. For starters, there’s the “Buckskin Lady.” This is an old cowboy song of Bob’s that’s been recorded by three different artists already — Chris LeDoux, Gary McMahan, and The Starlite Ramblers. But this is the first time Bob ever recorded it. He says it’s his favorite one on here… It’s also got “Monroe, Louisiana, Pipeliners’ Brawl.” This song was recorded by Bob way back in the ‘70’s, at a session in Birmingham, Alabama, along with “Within a Few Degrees,” a real pretty love song with a spiritual twist to it, but neither of these songs was ever released. So they are both on this new CD, and they sound better than they ever did. Another old song of Bob’s on here is “Luther Brown.” This song is a hunting story, about a bird dog named Luther Brown. It was written over forty years ago, and yet it sounds as fresh and sparkly as ever. Especially the way Jim Monahan laid it down. You got Bob Nichols drums pushing it along, Gabe Witcher’s fiddle making it leap and holler, and Jim’s strong guitar lines just keeping it on the lope. Plus, it’s a pretty funny story to boot. Got a punch line in it. Fact, it’s got two punch lines in it.

Those are some of the older songs on here, but just to show we ain’t prejudiced, we put some new songs on it too. “Holy Ground” is like an old mountain hymn, a love song that rises to spiritual heights, it was probably songs like this that all those old hymns came from. You start with something personal, and you reach down deep into it, and you come out with a revelation. There are several love songs on here — “Lost Avenue,” “Cup of Wine,” “Love Pours In” — it’s one of the interesting things about this album, and one of the things that make is so warm and inviting. You can listen to these songs over and over again and never get tired of them. In fact, you might just get “hooked” on ‘em. You might have to play this CD every day, just to get your “fix.”

But it ain’t all love songs. You still got the good old Bob Frank story songs on here. One about a barroom fight, one about what happens when you reach the point where it’s time to quit drinking but you can’t quite figure out how to do it, one about the Cheyenne Indians back in the day, one about coon hunting down in the bottoms — those funny, outrageous, tangy songs Bob is always cooking up for us. Plus, you got this over-the-top psychological description of the main villain in all our lives, old Ego himself — and the way to get rid of him. This song is a picture of what Bob calls “American tantra.”

You want some interesting musicians and some strong, vivid songs, you want Ride the Restless Wind. Trust me. I haven’t lied to you yet, have I?

He's a masterful songwriter and very striking vocalist whose songs have been recorded by numerous vocalists and groups, yet Bob Frank is another of those names well respected among musicians and generally unknown to the broader audience. Some of that may be due to a limited catalog, something that makes any of his releases a newsworthy event. His newest is Ride The Restless Wind (Bowstring), and it has 12 songs that range from great story tunes like "Monroe, Louisiana, Pipeliners' Brawl" to "Luther Brown" and "Painted Arrow." There are also numbers with equal parts humor and irony such as "Within A Few Degrees" and the tune "Buckskin Lady" that's been covered by among others Chris Ledoux and the Starlite Ramblers. Frank's pieces are always highly literate, superbly crafted and frequently provocative. They're far too witty and original to get much radio airplay, but they shouldn't be missed by anyone seeking smart, well performed and entertaining music that's neither dry nor predictable. (CD available from bobfranksongs.com) — Ron Wynn, Nashville City Paper, June 24, 2005.

Bob Frank has followed an unconventional path as a musician. After releasing his self-titled debut album in 1972, he grew disillusioned with the music business and waited three decades before issuing Keep on Burning, a follow-up album, in 2002. Frank now works at a quicker pace, and Ride the Restless Wind showcases his ability as a songwriter with an eye for detail on this 12-song collection that emphasizes his folk/country roots. “Little Ol’ Cabin Home” details a search for a pastoral paradise that recalls Bob Dylan’s Nashville Skyline album. “Monroe, Louisiana, Pipeliners’ Brawl” is a slice-of-life look at the working class that’s enlivened by Frank’s humorous touch.
Frank delivers his songs in a folksy, easygoing manner that captures a listener’s attention. “Love Pours In” is a song that builds from the personal to the universal when he observes… “Love pours in when love flows out/ Everybody’s kin on a different route.”
On his Web site, Frank bills himself as “one of the most obscure songwriters on the planet.” With the quality of songs on his new CD, he may have to rewrite that description. — Tom Wilk, Prime Time, September, 2005.

“Bob Frank’s songs feel ripped from life. Standouts include “Monroe, Louisiana, Pipeliners’ Brawl,” and tributes to beloved pets in “Luther Brown” and “My Buckskin Lady.” The music has a true Western feel with solid band support. Special note to fiddler Gabe Witcher and producer Jim Monohan who plays guitar, bass, mandolin, mandola and dobro. Very amiable, warm album.” — MT, Sing Out, Vol. 50 #1, Spring 2006