The releases of Sandy Reay could easily be thought of as Variety Shows! Half the time she turns the lead vocals over to her guest artists or shares the task with them. This time out six of the tracks find Dave Schaper, Ernie
Martinez, Tom Munch, Doc Mehl or Steve Jones of the late lamented Yampa Valley Boys in that lead vocal capacity.
Some poetry shows up as well (“Black Day,” “Stitches,” “Spitting Seeds” and “Another Horse To Saddle”). Picks include the title track, which is the Terry Nash/Sandy Reay/Dave Schaper co-write “Bring 'Em Home,” Tom Munch & Reay’s “Glue-lot Cowboy,” a Floyd Beard/Munch/Reay/Schaper saga song “Diamonds And Gold” and the non-Western but hilarious Doc Mehl/Reay song “Wish You Were Here.”
Sandy Reay’s own vocals possess a plaintive, almost near-tears quality that also worked for Melanie Safka and the young Emmylou Harris among others. The overall effect of this release is a pleasing one. Such collaborations can prove costly, but hopefully we won’t have to wait another ten years for Installment Three! Twelve tracks, recommended.
– by Rick Huff
