Review: Bill Bachmann "Folk-N-Roller"

Unafraid and uncompromising are the best terms to describe the perky new album from folk rocker Bill Bachmann with the intriguing title "Folk-N-Roller." However, the 14 track album proves a rollicking good time that lives up to its name a hundred times over.
The title track "Folk-N-Roller" starts off the project with a bit of quirky fun and is followed by the intriguing "The New Hip Song." However the album really picks up with the melodic and weirdly wonderful "B-A-C-H-M-A-N-N," which is an urgent plea by the artist to spell his name correctly. Yes, this really is the subject of the song, and the biggest shock is that the cut offers a really great melody.

A more reflective Bill Bachmann appears on "Your Old Man," and the folk singer offers a passionate vocal performance. The retro-flavored "These Are The Days" is a toe-tapping delight.

The finest upbeat song on the album is the eclectic track "Kill That Other Beer" which mixes elements of folk, punk, rock and country. However, the best song overall is the quiet "Too Late," which has a mesmerizing lullaby quality that works. The best chance for a radio chart hit on the album is "Candy Man," which could find a willing radio audience with program directors from country, Americana and folk radio.

The 14 songs on "Folk-N-Roller" encompass a full range of emotion from slapstick silliness to deep despair in a laid-back style that few artists can convincingly pull off. However, Bill Bachmann may have manged to encapsulate this quality in his self-proclaimed "Folk-N-Roller" monicker. Likewise, you have to give credit to a man who manages to criticize people for misspelling his name in such a charming and memorable way. CountryChart.com