Kevin Cook "Calahoo" (Independent, 2008) An agreeable voyage down the bayou. With its shuffling rhythm, hypnotic guitar figure and rumbling harmonica, a swampy vibe is established as soon as the title track kicks off the album. There are also definite hints of J.J. Cale in the whispered vocal and whilst Cook does extend his vocal range impressively over the course of the album, Cale remains a touchstone throughout. Fortunately, the second track dispels any fear that the atmosphere is going to be constant, expanding into the realms of country-soul and whilst the rigid alternation between such styles does grow predictable, Cook handles both well. Fortunately, Cook has the voice for this sort of material. He occasionally over-stretches himself but on the whole his voice on songs such as Homestead or Pure and Simple conveys a genuine depth of emotion which suggests that he is not merely a pastiche artist. It is certainly true, however, that much of his sound is reminiscent of others. Romance of the Road resembles a swamp-rock take on Neil Young's Revolution Blues whilst Hanging Tree, with its minor key melody and outlaw narrative, is a rather over-familiar slice of Gothic Americana. It is also evident that Cook is a talented guitarist, evinced by occasional picking showcases such as Nothing's Clear and No Angel. However, like most of the arrangements on the album, he keeps his skill in this regard deliberately restrained and low-key. The use of organs throughout, including a Hammond, Wurlitzer and pump, give many of the songs a warm glow without ever overwhelming them. This laid-back understatement is one of the album's greatest pleasures and augments material which although occasionally over-familiar, is never less than sincere and passionate. Kai Roberts. Wednesday, March 11, 2009 www.americana-uk.com 2008 Calahoo "Another product of rural Alberta, country blues artist Kevin Cook seems to relax and enjoy the flavour and feeling of laid-back hominess on his latest disc. Joby Baker, who’s helmed the console for Cowboy Junkies, Outlaw Social, and The Bills contributes various instruments to this fairly bare-bones affair, with Kory Burns and Jay Cundal alternating on bass and drums and contributions from Cam Neufeld on harmonica and a few guitar guest spots from Lester Quitzau. The rest is all Cook, whose sinuous voice wraps comfortably around his homespun lyrics. The result is a disc to be played with a glass of wine, late at night, perhaps nodding in front of a warm fire inside a cabin in the woods on a cold winter’s evening, snug in a soft, thick flannel shirt. It has that kind of warm, dreamy feeling to it. As he says in the title track, he‘s “lookin’ for a simple life/lookin’ for a peaceful place.” As pleasant a disc as you’re likely to come across." Barry Hammond, Penguin Eggs 2003 Western Union " Cook is an experienced tunesmith with a gift for finding the right words. His vocal chords have a soft, dusty tinge that is perfectly in keeping with the rural inspiration of his rural-folk-blues themes. Western Union telegraphs strong evidence that Cook's art deserves attention far beyond the local roots music scene." Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal "The songs are well-arranged and well-delivered...charming." les siemieniuk, Penguin Eggs " A jewel of a record...Cook is an excellent guitar player." Roots Town Music, Belgium "Cook sounds like a man born to sing acoustic blues. From song to song one gets the sense of hearing true artistry and conviction." D. Gordon-Smith, Vernon Morning Star, BC   2002 Trouble Light "...a Real Masterpiece!" Ray Pieters Radio Milo, Belgium 2002 Trouble Light "This is no cry in your beer music..." the ROOM, Mobile, Alabama   Spankin' the plank at North Country Fair with Luke Doucet, Colin Linden and Morgan Davis Edmonton Folk Fest with Ron Sexsmith and Stewart Macdougal   2001 Trouble Light "…a world-class songwriter right here in river city…" Kirby, See Magazine full review 2001 Trouble Light Kevin Cook's cleanly crafted lyrics cling to the soul's whisper… His intense longing draws you into an intimate world of dark beauty." Lark Clark, CKUA Radio, AB 2001 Trouble Light "Cook puts a fresh spin on centuries-old themes and is just as adept at taking swipes at our modern-day cultural phenomena." Peter North, Edmonton Journal 2001 Trouble Light "Kevin Cook's Trouble Light was one of the few good records I heard last year. He's very careful with the information in a song and I get the short story kind of involvement with his work where you have to paint a little yourself. As a listener, I take this as a compliment and as a guitarist I am merely Jealous. Kevin's writing and performance are consistently superior" Michael Marra, Singer-songwriter, Dundee Scotland 1998 Happy Accident "The best locally produced recording so far this year…" Stew Slater, See Magazine Kevin's MySpace music page is located at www.myspace.com/kevincookband   news | bio | recordings | projects | reviews | press kit | dates | contact | kevin cooks Copyright © Kevin Cook Music 2002 - 2009, all rights reserved