Local Music Reviews
Tom Bennett
The Man Who Shook the Trail of the Devil’s Hounds
Sweet Salt Records
Street: 12.17.13
Tom Bennett = Bob Schnieder + John Lee Hooker
From start to finish, the most powerful word I’ve found to describe Devil’s Hounds is “honest.” The beginning of this album focuses specifically on one man’s experience of, possibly, his favorite place on earth: Salt Lake City. “If I Could Die Anywhere” describes all of the reasons why the salty city is stunning, incredible and full of love. In the final line of the song, suddenly he’s contradicting himself and calling out a lie. I’m still trying to figure out what this means. On “My Drunken Lover,” the slide guitar perfectly depicts the slippery sensation of having one too many to drink. “Roy’s Song” is a bridge between the first and last song, both in lyrics and overall sound. Although the album is only three songs long, it seems a lot of thought was put into how everything would be organized. Finally, lo-fi recording techniques go perfectly with the old-timey style of folk and delta-blues music chosen. –LeAundra Jeffs