Bar of Gold from Arty Hill and the Long Gone Daddys, based out of Baltimore, Maryland, includes some of the best rockin' honky tonk this side of Hank Williams. Arty is a fine singer and songwriter and this follow-up to 2005's Back On The Rail continues a string of well-crafted songs performed with an uncanny sense of time and attention to detail. Bar of Gold includes eleven Arty originals including the rocked-up 'Step Back Mama', the early 60s-style shuffle 'I'm Thinkin' It's Better this Way' and the dark and dirty 'Nashville Moon.' Drummer Jack O'Dell (formerly of Bill Kirchen's Too Much Fun) contributes his original 'I Might Have Been a Lawyer (But I Couldn't Pass the Bar)' and sings lead on Arty's 'A Wreck of a Man.' This release is rounded out with plenty of steel guitar from Dave Giegerich, Heather Twigg on fiddle, and Arty plays the lion's share of twangin' Telecaster. Jason Ringenberg, who wrote the liner notes, has already named Bar of Gold one of his favorite CDs of the year and states "I doubt there is a better country record put out this year." 'Hank Williams makes it sound easy, but it's hard to write a classic country song. You've gotta hit the right mix of plain-spokenness and poetry, a timeless emotion and a fresh scenario, down-home flavor and sophisticated melody. Arty Hill has been at it for years, and his hard work has paid off; his new Bar of Gold CD features and number of tunes that wouldn't sound out of place on an old-school honky tonk jukebox. His warm melodic voice accompanied by a twangy telecaster, creates an overall sound that drives down the well-worn asphalt of old-time honky tonkers while keeping the vibe fresh and alive.' -Lee Gardner, Baltimore City Paper 'Even though Boston-area label Cow Island Music is still wet behind the ears, it has already put out some strong records, including this one from Arty Hill and the Long Gone Daddys. Hill's songwriting, mostly about the usual suspects-hurtin', cheatin', and drinkin'-shows a facility at making fresh out of timeworn wordplays...fine singing and playing and rock-solid country music that'll stick with you.' -Stuart Munro, Country Standard Time Magazine 'Hill, an Eastern Shore native, writes country songs with a timeless feel, tunes that play particularly well in a worn F150 barreling down a lost highway-preferably towards a watering hole with the church steeply in the rearview mirror...the spirit of Hank Williams lives in the exuberant, rollicking, and wry songs.' -Baltimore Magazine 'Put stomp and story together, or at least die by side when not joined at the shakin' hip, and you've got somthing like Arty Hill and the Long Gone Daddys. If your ears crave the good ol' honkabilly sound, this band will give 'em what they need.' -Jerome Clark, Rambles.net 'This is one of the best Honky Tonk CDs I've heard this century, and man, there are some other real deals out there. Honky Tonk at it's best, rooted somewhere between the Nashville masters of the 50s and 60s and Buck Owens' Bakersfield sound. Excellent Honky Tonk album, fantastic musicianship, outstanding lyrics: Arty Hill and the Long Gone Daddys are the real deal!' -Gaby Maag-Bristol, Blue Suede News 'Arty Hill and the Long Gone Daddys' album Bar of Gold is a solid, chunky honky tonk country record that flirts with rockabilly for a dance or two, but at the end of the night, still goes home with the classic country sound of Bunk and George Jones.' -Ben Ciseros, the 9513 Country Music.
