Beau Wiley “Hard Crooked Line”
Label:
Reviewed by: Kim Walter, Nov 2016

New album with a new backing band from ten+ year Bay Area psychedelic country scene standout, Beau Wiley. Each song is unique in one way or another, but many are united through their stories of singular women and things gone wrong. Better than I thought it would be, esp 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13.

1. med – EXPLICIT LYRICS (not FCC), but you can’t really tell classic country twang
2. med – foot stomping tune reminiscent of Chris Isaak
3. slow - interesting mix of guitar, dismal lyrics and country twang in story
4. med – ballad to California
5. med – upbeat pop feel
6. slow – modern country love song
7. med – nice flute, almost English invasion sound
8. med - interesting, voice almost has vibrato quality
9. med – story of wine, women and whiskey
10. slow/med – another bad experience with a woman, creates unease
11. med – classic country sound
12. med – most “psychedelic” sound, nice metaphors
13. med – classic country sound

Wiley, Beau/ Hard Crooked Line
Label: self

Tom McCarter
Reviewed: 2016-11-19

Tom McCarter
Wiley, Beau
Hard Crooked Line
Genre: Country
Review: a strong set of contemporary country music (what they call California country) by a long-time veteran of the local scene and his band
FCCs: none
If You Like: Gram Parsons, Dave Alvin
Favorite Tracks: (2)Black Crow Woman(5)Just a Drop (7) Sweet Little Bird (10) You've Got No Place (11)You Must Be The One
Track Review: 1/ guitar starts> midtempo> quick stop 2/ guitar starts> uptempo> quick fade
3/ guitar starts> slow tempo> quick fade
4/ bass starts> uptempo> quick stop 5/ pedal steel starts> uptempo> quick stop 6/ guitar starts> slow tempo> quick fade 7/ guitar starts> uptempo> quick fade 8/ guitar starts> uptempo> quick fade 9/ guitar starts> midtempo> quick stop 10/ guitar starts> midtempo> quick stop 11> pedal steel starts> uptempo> quick stop 12/ guitar stops> uptempo> quick stop 13/ guitar starts> slow tempo & fade