I always said and repeated on this blog that country music, even though it’s rooted in American South, has no frontiers. I’ve listened and reviewed excellent and real country music from Rhode Island, Ohio, Washington State, Canada, even from UK or France. The album reviewed on this post was made by an artist from Frederick county, Maryland. And I can certify that all its songs belong to traditional and real country music.
Mike Kuster, who grew up on a little farm, is a new artist. After releasing his excellent debut album, “Better Late Than Never“, last year, he just released his sophomore LP, “Country So Fresh You Have To Check Your Boots“, on June 9th.
“Frog Eye Mud Bog“, which is actually part of Country Music France’s Top 30 playlist, is a catchy song with fantastic fiddle, pedal steel, guitar and piano about the mud bog annual event that takes place in Frog Eye Road, Maryland. It’s Mike Kuster’s most recent single and probably my favorite song on this album.
“Front Porch Swing“, released as a single on April 7h, is my second favorite song on this album. It’s the perfect country song, relatable, catchy, with excellent lyrics. It’s the kind of tune that you can have on repeat all the summer long.
While you’re on that front porch swing, mint julep in your hand
In the quiet of midnight in any small town land
Trust in the magic of your little home town
And life’s simple pleasures on a front porch swing
Front Porch Swing
“Ora Lee” is a wonderful song with beautiful songwriting, as is the excellent “Mountain Streams and Autumn Leaves“. With this last one, you can feel how important is the contact with nature for Mike Kuster. Indeed, the theme of “Mother nature” and of the flow of the seasons is always present on the album, and it makes it highly relatable and authentic.
No Internet and constant news
Social pressures and weird taboos
Just sittin’ in the woods
With Mother Nature
Mountain Streams and Autumn Leaves
“What If She Says Yes“, the first song to have been released as a single, on March 3d, is a beautiful song, excellently written, with amazing instrumentation, particularly wonderful fiddle and guitar.
“Whiskey Sorrow” is a great song that can be added to those classic country songs inspired by sadness, pain and whiskey.
Whiskey sorrow
Put off the pain till tomorrow
Bartender pour another round
Wash my sorrow down
Whiskey Sorrow
You have great storytelling all along the album with songs as the excellent “Her Name in Red” and the nostalgic and catchy “Back To Feagaville“.
“All The Women I Want Are Already Married” is a hard honky tonk song with frenzied fiddle and a waylonesque touch. Another great song in the same vein is the catchy “You Make Me Need To Cheat“.
If country music means relatable songs about real life, authenticity, quality of the songwriting and of course excellent instrumentation, then “Country So Fresh You Have To Check Your Boots” is an album perfectly representative of the genre, that will be highly appreciated by all those who love traditional country. Check out Mike Kuster’s music, y’all : he’s the real deal.
Nicolas Davelu
Country Music France 
Reblogged this on GladeValley.net.
LikeLike