Tall Grass Captains of Greater Chicago

When applying for a job, there’s always the barrage of tips and tricks to make sure you get that cherished interview, from making sure you use blue tips for stapling the papers together, to having it printed on pink paper to make sure it gets noticed. The favourite, though, is the distinctive name. There are true stories of Billy Bob getting an interview just because the interviewer wanted to know what a Billy Bob looked like. Thus, maybe this uniquely named band will grab the attention of a few curious fans. And, really, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing as ringleader Mark Mattson brings a real rough-hewn charm to the proceedings. Most of the songs here may start out timidly, but, especially the aptly titled "World Exploding,” many take on a life of their own and with a mix of energy and some great guitar licks, entertain in their basic way. "Til Tulsa” may feature a very good mandolin, but there really is a basic, but very catchy formula to most of these songs. Really, get sucked in by the name and stay for the songs…but don’t expect the Earth to move.