Calico Heart

Houston Jones
2008
Label: 
Summerhill Records

"....one of the West Coast's most talented and entertaining bands"

"No one delivers the goods quite like Houston Jones. The band's infectious mix of acoustic rock, bluegrass, folk, and country, driven along by the drumming of Peter Tucker, the guitar of Glenn Houston, and the soulful vocals of Travis Jones, are in ample supply on their latest effort, Calico Heart. It is more focused than the group's last release, probably because acoustic bass player Chris Kee wrote nine of the 11 songs.

While the members have always been virtuoso players and arrangers, it's the depth of Kee's songs that adds a defining element to the band. It has expanded the sound somewhat with some down-home honky-tonk on "Born in the Moonshine," some funk on "Mighty Red," and the experimental 11-minute "Roads to Dominion" which adds some middle eastern influences to a basic Texas rhythm. As always, Houston Jones remains one of the West Coast's most talented and entertaining bands."

Jim Lee
Dirty Linen Magazine
March/April 2009

In the Walnut Valley Festival list of artists: