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Rick Spreitzer: Dirt Tracks
[self-released]

I am probably luckier than you.  For I have the advantage of having heard Rick Spreitzers first album, Meanderthal, as well as his recently released Dirt Tracks.  Let me summarize the first album in fifteen words:  it was very good, but by the end it all started to sound the same.  That summary could be applied to a lot of albums of the folk/Americana/coffeehouse music ilk, so I never held it against him.  With this sophomore release, Rick does his best to overcome the limitations of his genre, and I am happy to report that he is mostly successful. 

It would seem that the secret is to bring in outside talent to add variety into the mix.  Apparently Mr. Spreitzers got a bunch of talented friends, which in turn benefits us all.  Along with his usual collaborators like folk scenester Trip Rogers, you also hear guests such as David Childers and members of Cast Iron Filter and Sea Of Cortez, all Charlotte area luminaries in their own right.

So while the heart of the music is the same as weve come to expect from Spreitzergritty Americana folk, the multiple guest appearances breathe life into what might otherwise be a monotonous experience.  I guess its like the folk version of a Puff Daddy (sorry, I meant P Diddy or whoever he is now...) record.

Rick seems more confident as a singer on this album and seems to be exploring his vocal range a bit more, which is something I noticed immediately from the first track, Follow the Water Home.  Jill Lurie again provides the majority of the harmony vocals on this disc and does a fine job.

Fans of the Charlotte music scene as well as fans of coffeehouse music would do well to check out Dirt Tracks.  And if theres an arty little coffee house in your neighborhood, Rick will probably be playing there soon.  Go see him liveits worth it.

This album can be purchased from CD Baby

Rick Spreitzer Official Website

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