Album Review The Blues Times October 2005

Col Ray & The Scary Cats FEATHER (Independent)

I really like Col Ray Price and his band The Scary Cats. (Col of course competed in our Performer of the year competition this year.)

Col and the boys hail from up in them there mountains. The Snowy Mountains. Tumut to be exact. That fact and a list of the players and instruments, should tell you what to expect from this CD.

Col Ray (vocals, whispers, slide guitar, rhythm guitar), is joined by Scott The Wild Card Cochrane (vocals, backing vocals, washboard, percussion, kazoo, train whistle, chanting), Cousin Jim Nolan (harp), Johnny 6 Pack (rhythm guitar), and Peter Sax Thompson (tenor and soprano sax). Getting the picture?

The CD presents 11 songs by Col Ray, 1 by Scott Cochrane, and 1 by Muddy Waters (I Can’t Be Satisfied). And what a nice selection of blues / roots country / old timey numbers they are!

The sound of the CD is quite sparse, Col Ray’s scratchy, earthy, vocals lead the way, backed up by his guitar, and supported on most tracks by only harp or percussion.

To give you an idea of the music; Ain’t Coming Back is a nice train shuffle; Rozie’s Song is a soft, sweet ballad with just guitar and harp; 10 Stone 3 is a fun song with a party sing-along feel; Hoping That I’m Coping just lopes gently along with guitar and washboard; and Feather features red Indian war drums and chanting.

All-in-all, a very nice, easy-to-listen to album for people who like country blues and old-timey stuff (like I do). You can check out Col Ray at his web-site, www.colray.homestead.com , or contact him at POBox 646 Tumut NSW 2720.

*Gary deWall