This isn’t a band, but a person who makes music that is drawing from a rich and varied musical heritage, a blend of blues, jazz, rockabilly, country and old-time. Pines is something of a one man band playing the majority of the instruments as well as writing a bunch of the songs and co-producing the album with Bernie Nau. Railroad Vine is a striking mix of acoustic and electric guitar and voice. The traditional song Train That Carryed My Gal from Town has a definite old time feel with snare and upright bass and harmonica giving the song a toe-tapping train-rhythm shuffle.
The past permeates Pines' vision, something that Who Told Ya? highlights. It is a Pines original inspired by the Rum-Dum Ramblers and with a few additional crackles it could have come from an old 78. Pines balances that with songs like Heartbreaker which has a more contemporary feel in it's tight arrangement. There is a variety here which some reviewers feel detracts from the album. However I've also seen the same reviewers have a go at an album for being too samey. I feel the balance here is right. Pines knows what he set out to achieve and he has a voice and vision that pulls the different strands together in an entertaining and satisfying way.
Every album will mean something different to each listener, who will have his own favourites, and that's the way it should be. Rabbits Motel jumps around a bit, OK, but it always lands on its feet and manages to makes you tap yours along with its energy. Woody Pines is to be applauded for making this album, it is true and can be trusted to deliver the goods