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The tough-walking bass of opener “Train Back to Texas” is honky-tonk code for “let’s dance.” Two-stepping is quite secondary to Ratliff Dean’s kicking around traditional back forty turf – women, work, wandering – all sung in a rich, manly baritone and backed with fiddle and fire (“Free Again,” “Since She’s Been Gone,” “Fencepost Digging Blues”). More suede than rawhide, but good stuff to play when yer hitchhiking with yer honey.
This article appears in May 13 • 2011.
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