Drip Dryin'

The very cool packaging (crosshatched cartoon cover, a foldover insert format absolutely free of plastic [save for the CD itself] and glue, old-timey disc printing, and etc.) is itself an eye-catcher but the music is even trippier, a cross of 20s, jug, cheapsuit serenading, Leon Redbone, and vaudeville. These two intensely loopy gents are a phenomenon with ribald lyrics, machine-gun vocals, and manic playing, all standing Drip Dryin' in a unique light.

Indeed, the lads are what they claim to be, just a duet, Andy Bean and Fuller Condon, playing several instruments (including kazoo and 'mouth trumpet' [no trumpet, all mouth]!) with occasional back-up here and there. Robert Kraft toyed around with this genre a bit, Ian Whitcomb hit other zones within it, and Robert Crumb made his own stabs, but the Two Man Gentleman Band is in a class of its own and 100% dyed-in-the-wool. No cheap substitutes or wooing the 21st century, they belt it out like male floozy flappers, demented barbershopprs, or carny charmers. Their act is so unique that they're opening this summer for Dylan, Mellencamp, and Willie Nelson, but really, they're more kinfolk to the Escape the Floodwater Jug Band and other musical loons.

June, July, and August will see them on an intensive touring schedule but...where are the West Coast dates??? C'mon, guys, we out here in LaLaLand have to put up with Hollywood and all the tinsel, glitter, and goop that portends! We sure could use a little relief, knowhudahmean? There's another ocean on the other side of America, in case no one tol' ya! !! There really is life west of Louisiana, and…ah forget it, who am I kidding? I don't blame 'em. Everyone out here has a set of tin ears. I'm just going to have to move closer to the Mississippi, 'cause I'm missing way too much good music. In the meantime, by all means catch 'em if you can or grab this or another of their three earlier CDs 'cause you're not likely to find very much else this funny, polished, outrageous, or finger-poppin'.

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Edited by: David N. Pyles
(dnpyles@acousticmusic.com)