Good Day to Die
Apologies first, but I have to say it: Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder. Vocalis/ guitarist Sam Llanas' first solo effort is a revealing tribute to the memory of his brother's suicide in 1976, when Llanas was just 14. Twenty two years later, after a critically welcomed run with the BoDeans, he's produced  an album of moving, memeorable songs, solid musicianship and consistent vision. From "Bully On The Corner" to "Time For Us, the closing track, these are lingering, haunting melodies in an atmosphere of loss, regret and pain. Childhood traumas are two a penny, but Llanas cheap emotional manipulation. The favourite tipple of the enervated fin-de-sieclers, the group's name suggests deadened nerves, but Llanas's are anything but.There are echoes of Springsteen and R.E.M.,Jim eannelli's guitar deserves special mention, and the cellos and backing vocals add a resonant depth to serious, sincere effort.Gary Valentine MOJO(England) November 1998