Radio
This singer/songwriter and North Carolina raconteur shows a charming knack for chronicling the foibles of American culture and human relationships. He suggests John Prine and Loudon Wainwright III in his wiry, winking delivery and subject matter, which ranges from the life of baseball legend Moe Berg to apple picking with migrant laborers. (His road-rage anthem, "Blow 'Em Away," has become notorious.) There's ample variety in the Americana musical touches played on Dobro, electric piano, and organ. And a full-out bar-band groove surfaces in spots. But Brodsky's songs are only occasionally revelatory in a manner that distinguishes him from his coffeehouse peers. His strong suit is his humor. Those drawn to the lighter side of Cheryl Wheeler and Ellis Paul will find a kindred spirit in Brodsky.--Roy Kasten