Ryebender's "Hollow and Drifting"

The twelve tracks on Ryebender’s debut disc "Hollow and Drifting" range from the hook filled power pop of “I Was Wrong”, the alt countryish “One Horse Town” on to “Drunk All The Time”, one of the best protest songs of 2008 (Todd Snider's "Peace Queer" EP offers several political tracks of stiff competition). The vocals and lyrics on “Drunk All The Time” owe more to Phil Ochs than No Depression and the painfully descriptive story of "Drunk" tells a sad contemporary tale of war, love and loss:

“He was barely eighteen and called off to war to serve his country with pride.
Fight for a cause that later we’d learn was based on a President’s lies”.

Lisa Whitworth’s guest vocals made me grab the liner notes to see who was singing on the duet “Gravity” (I’d seriously considering recruiting her guys). Other highlights: the harmony filled “Windmills” and the rural pop of “Radio Dial”. The title track “Hollow and Drifting” ends the disc with another track which again recalls the late great Phil Ochs in both sound (Mark Ward's vocals) and sentiment:

“Bring your poor, your tired, your huddled masses longing to be free,
and we’ll open the flood gates and turn a blind eye to the hollow and drifting”

The band:
Mark Ward-vocals, guitars, harmonica, fiddle, accordion
Lennie Dietsch- vocals, guitars, bass and percussion
Jason Ward- vocals, bass, percussion
Michael Carpenter-drums and percussion

With some piano and twang added by friends Caitlin Warbelow, Aaron Benolkin, Amanda Kerr, Dustin Rider, Matt Janssen and Scott Ramsayer.

Folky alt country with a social conscious. Recommended.
Hey, stop by http://www.myspace.com/ryebender and see if you don't agree.