YOUR KEY TO THE
AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC SCENE

You wouldn"t know it to look at her+ but bluegrass firebrand Mollie O"Brien has a dirt road voice--robust and soulful+ not remotely high and lonesome. <I>Big Red Sun</I>+ a collection of blues and country-blues tunes+ should surprise those who"ve followed her. The band+ paced by the bubbly electric and slide work of Nick Forster+ lays down steady folk blues+ and even dabbles in Cajun and tough Magic Sam soul. The most striking performance+ Steve Goodman"s "Looking For Trouble+" features just acoustic guitar+ accordion+ and O"Brien"s slow- burning voice. The pieces are in place for a great interpretive work-- including a sumptuous version of Lucinda Williams"s "Big Red Sun Blues" plus John Hiatt and Randy Newman covers--but the result is closer to an unexceptional Bonnie Raitt offering. Good+ but not quite a revelation. <I>--Roy Francis Kasten</I>